* Thur., 2015 Dec. 31 - Make Up Your Mind Day. (Dec. 31)

* Thur., 2015 Dec. 31 - Eve of New Year's Day (Traditional). (Dec. 31)

* Wed., 2014 Dec. 31, 7:00:00 p.m. EST - 00:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) marking the beginning of the New Year (A.D. 2015) by the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) scale, the time scale used by many scientists (Dec. 31).

* Jan. 1 to 10 - CITIZEN SCIENCE: Monthly Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Fri., Jan. 1 - Feast of the Circumcision of Christ - Eighth day of the 12 days of Christmas: Dec. 25 to Jan. 5. During the Gregorian Calendar reform, Pope Gregory XIII, chose the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ as the beginning of the New Year in the Roman Catholic Church's Liturgical Year; previously, the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 (also the Vernal Equinox in the "original" Julian Calendar adopted by the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, in the 7th century B.C.) had been considered the beginning of the New Year. (Jan. 1)

* Fri., Jan. 1 - Last day of Kwanzaa - Week-long holiday observance honoring African-American heritage. (Dec. 26 to Jan. 1)

* Fri., Jan. 1 (1863) - Anniversary: Emancipation Proclamation issued by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, which decreed that slaves in the rebellious states are free forever. (Jan. 1)

* Fri., Jan. 1 - First Day Hikes in America’s State Parks. (Jan. 1)

* Fri., 2016 Jan. 1, 12:00:00 Midnight (00:00:00) Prevailing Local Time - For Eastern Standard Time (EST) Zone in North America: 12:00:00 Midnight EST / 5:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) which correlates with 12:00:00 Midnight EST - New Year's Day: New Calendar Year begins (Jan. 1).

* Fri., 2016 Jan. 1, 12:00:00 Midnight (00:00:00) Prevailing Local Time (5:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) which corresponds with 12:00:00 Midnight EST) - New Year's Day: Calendar Year A.D. 2016 begins (Jan. 1).

* Sat., Jan. 2, 12:30 a.m. EST / 5:30 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Sat., Jan. 2, 6:53 a.m. EST / 11:53 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,279 kilometers.

* Sat., Jan. 2, 5:49 p.m. EST / 22:49 UTC - Earth at perihelion (closest Earth approach to the Sun in New Year): 147,100,176 kilometers / 91,403,812 miles (Jan. 2 to 4).

* Sat., Jan. 2, 10:35 p.m. EST / Jan. 3, 3:35 UTC - Star Spica 4.7 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sun., Jan. 3, 1:45 p.m. EST / 18:45 UTC - Mars 1.5 degrees south of the Moon.

* Mon., Jan. 4, 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 UTC - (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Quadrantid Meteor Shower (Jan. 3 to 4).

* Tue., Jan. 5 - National Bird Day (Jan. 5).

* Tue., Jan. 5, Evening - "12th Night" of Christmas; end of the 12 days of Christmas, which began on Christmas Day (Jan. 5).

* Tue., Jan. 5, 10:00 p.m. EST / Jan. 6, 3:00 UTC - Dwarf Planet Pluto in conjunction with the Sun (Pluto not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., Jan. 6 - Feast of the Epiphany; the day after the "12th Night" of Christmas. Tradition celebrates Epiphany as day the Magi arrived in Bethlehem to present gifts to the Christ child (Jan. 6).

* Wed., Jan. 6, 12:00 Noon EST / 17:00 UTC - Venus 6 degrees north of Star Antares.

* Wed., Jan. 6, 6:57 p.m. EST / 23:57 UTC - Venus 3.1 degrees south of the Moon.

* Wed., Jan. 6, 11:57 p.m. EST / Jan. 7, 4:57 UTC - Saturn 3.3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Thur., Jan. 7 - Orthodox Christmas - As determined by Julian Calendar (Jan. 7).

* Thur., Jan. 7, 6:34 a.m. EST / 11:34 UTC - Venus 6.3 degrees north of Star Antares.

* Fri., Jan. 8 (1851), 2:00 a.m. Paris Time - Earth's Rotation Day - 165th Anniversary: French physicist Jean Leon Foucault develops a simple device to finally demonstrate and prove that the Earth rotates on its axis: Foucault Pendulum. He demonstrated the Foucault Pendulum, before scientists at the Paris Observatory, on 1851 February 3.
Near the end of his life, Jean Leon Foucault also developed the Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope. (Jan. 8)

* Fri., Jan. 8, 1:00 p.m. EST / 18:00 UTC - Mercury at perihelion.

* Fri., Jan. 8, 11:00 p.m. EST / Jan. 9, 4:00 UTC - Venus 0.09 degree north of Saturn.

* Sat., Jan. 9, 8:31 p.m. EST / Jan. 10, 1:31 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon.

* Jan. 10 to 16 - Winter Driving Awareness Week.

* .Mon, Jan. 11 - National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (Jan. 11).

* Wed., Jan. 13 - New Year's Eve, according to the Julian Calendar (Jan. 13).

* Wed., Jan. 13, 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - Neptune 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Thur., Jan. 14 - Beginning of the New Year, according to the Julian Calendar (Jan. 14).

* Thur., Jan. 14, 9:00 a.m. EST / 14:00 UTC - Mercury in inferior conjunction (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Thur., Jan. 14, 9:10 p.m. EST / Jan. 15, 2:10 UTC - Moon at perigee: 369,619 kilometers.

* Fri., Jan. 15 (1929) - Anniversary of the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Observed - USA: Third Monday in January): Birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. (Jan. 15)

* Sat., Jan. 16, 6:26 p.m. EST / 23:26 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Sun., Jan. 17 - Kid Inventors’ Day (K.I.D.), on January 17 in honor of the birth of famous inventor Benjamin Franklin, who invented the first swim flippers at the age of 12 (Jan. 17) !

* Mon., Jan. 18 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Observed - USA: Third Monday in January): Birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: 1929 Jan. 15.

* Tue., Jan. 19, 9:16 p.m. EST / Jan. 20, 2:16 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.5 degree south of the Moon.

* Thur., Jan. 21 - Squirrel Appreciation Day (Jan. 21).

* Sat., Jan. 23, 8:46 p.m. EST / Jan. 24, 1:46 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Wolf Moon).

* Jan. 25 to 31 - National Drug Facts Week.

* Tue., Jan. 26, 12:10 a.m. EST / 5:10 UTC - Star Regulus 2.5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., Jan. 27 - Holocaust Remembrance Day (UN) (Jan. 27).

* Wed., Jan. 27 (1967) - Anniversary of Apollo 1 fire; three astronauts perished: Gus Grissom, Ed White, Roger Chaffee. (Jan. 27)

* Wed., Jan. 27, 8:14 p.m. EST / Jan. 28, 1:14 UTC - Jupiter 1.4 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Jan. 28 (1986) - Anniversary of STS Space Shuttle Challenger explosion; seven astronauts perished: Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, Elison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe (Teacher-in-Space). (Jan. 28)
Viewed at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center).

* Thur., Jan. 28 - Data Privacy Day. (Jan. 28)

* Fri., Jan. 29 - Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day. (Jan. 29)

* Sat., Jan. 30, 4:10 a.m. EST / 9:10 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,553 kilometers.

* Sat., Jan. 30, 6:35 a.m. EST / 11:35 UTC - Star Spica 5.0 degrees south of the Moon.

* Jan. 31 to Feb. 6 - National Catholic Schools Week (End of January / Beginning of February).

* Sun., Jan. 31 (1958) - Anniversary of the first successful launch, by the USA, of an artificial satellite: Explorer 1. (Jan. 31)

* Sun., Jan. 31, 10:28 p.m. EST / Feb. 1, 3:28 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Jan. 31 to Feb. 6 - National Catholic Schools Week (End of January / Beginning of February).

* Sun., Jan. 31, 10:28 p.m. EST / Feb. 1, 3:28 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Feb. 1 to 10, 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. Prevailing Local Time - CITIZEN SCIENCE: Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Mon., Feb. 1 (2003) - Anniversary of STS Space Shuttle Columbia disintegration during re-entry; seven astronauts perished: Rick Husband, William McCool, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, Ilan Ramon (Feb. 1).

* Mon., Feb. 1 (1865) - National Freedom Day -Date in 1865 when U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed a resolution proposing the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibiting slavery.

* Mon., Feb. 1 - National Change Your Password Day! (Feb. 1).

* Mon., Feb. 1, 3:48 a.m. EST / 8:48 UTC - Mars 2.7 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue., Feb. 2 - African American Coaches Day about the benefits of working with a personal or business coach (First Tuesday in February).

* Tue., Feb. 2 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Imbolc, and also Candlemas, better known as Groundhog Day. (First traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; approximate mid-way point in Winter season: Feb. 1 Eve - Feb. 2).
(Groundhog Day at Gobler's Knob, Punxsutawney PA 15767, home of Punxsutawney Phil: - Sunrise: 7:26 a.m. EST / 12:26 UTC) .
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Wed., Feb. 3 (1851) - 165th Anniversary: Jean Leon Foucault first demonstrates, before scientists in the Meridian Room of the Paris Observatory, the Foucault Pendulum, which is a proof that the Earth rotates on its axis. He had invented the device on 1851 January 8.
Near the end of his life, Jean Leon Foucault also developed the Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope (Feb. 3).

* Wed., Feb. 3, 2:05 p.m. EST / 19:05 UTC - Saturn 3.5 degrees south of the Moon.

* Thur., Feb. 4 - World Cancer Day (WCD) (Feb. 4).

* Thur., Feb. 4 - Thank A Mailman Day (Feb. 4).

* Thur., Feb. 4, 11:39 a.m. EST / 16:39 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (First actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; mid-way point in Winter season: ~Feb. 4).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Thur., Feb. 4 - Lichun - Beginning of first Solar term (of 24 Solar terms in one year) of traditional East Asia calendars (begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 315° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 330°); also known as the start of Spring (Occurs each year around Feb. 4).

* Fri., Feb. 5 - National Weatherperson's Day - Birth of one of America's first weather observers, John Jeffries (picture): 1744 February 5 (Feb. 5).

* Fri., Feb. 5 - National Wear Red Day - Go Red for Women movement to heart disease in women (American Heart Association) (First Friday in Feb.).

* Sat., Feb. 6, 2:32 a.m. EST / 7:32 UTC - Venus 4.3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Feb. 6, 11:47 a.m. EST / 16:47 UTC - Mercury 3.8 degrees south of the Moon.

* Mon., Feb. 8 (1910) - Anniversary of founding of the Boy Scouts of America. (Feb. 8)

* Mon., Feb. 8 - National Clean Out Your Computer Day (Second Monday in February).

* Mon., Feb. 8 - Chinese New Year, based on a lunisolar calendar of which dates indicate both the moon phase and the time of the solar year. This marks the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Red Monkey.

* Mon., Feb. 8, 9:39 a.m. EST / 14:39 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon.

* Tue., Feb. 9 - Shrove Tuesday / Fat Tuesday (Day before Ash Wednesday).

* Wed., Feb. 10 - Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. (First Wednesday in Lent, 46 days before Easter Sunday)
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* Wed., Feb. 10, 9:42 p.m. EST / Feb. 11, 2:42 UTC - Moon at perigee: 364,358 kilometers.

* Thur., Feb. 11 (1732) - Anniversary of birth of first American President, George Washington, according to Julian Calendar (also known as "Old Style Calendar"), at use at that time; according to Gregorian Calendar, which we use today, George Washington's birthday occurred on Feb. 22. (Feb. 11)
See also: Washington's Birthday Observed / Presidents' Day * Washington's Birthday Actual (Julian Calendar) * Washington's Birthday Actual (Gregorian Calendar) * Lincoln's Birthday.

* Thur., Feb. 11 - National Inventors' Day, anniversary of the birth of the inventor Thomas Alva Edison (Feb. 11).

* Fri. through Mon., Feb. 12, 13, 14, 15 - CITIZEN SCIENCE: The Great Backyard Bird Count (Presidents' Day holiday weekend, starting on Friday).

* Fri., Feb. 12 (1809) - Anniversary of birth of 16th American President, Abraham Lincoln. (Feb. 12)
See also: Washington's Birthday Observed / Presidents' Day * Washington's Birthday Actual (Julian Calendar) * Washington's Birthday Actual (Gregorian Calendar) * Lincoln's Birthday.

* Fri., Feb. 12 (1809) - Anniversary of birth of English naturalist, Charles Darwin; Darwin Day (Feb. 12).

* Fri., Feb. 12, 10:00 p.m. EST / Feb. 13, 3:00 UTC - Mercury 4.0 degrees south of Venus.

* Sun., Feb. 14 - St. Valentine's Day (Feb. 14).

* Sun., Feb. 14 - Library Lovers Day (Feb. 14).

* Sun., Feb. 14 - International Book Giving Day (Feb. 14).

* Sun., Feb. 14 - National Have a Heart Day to promote awareness of our food choices so as to get or maintain a healthy heart (Feb. 14).

* Sun., Feb. 14 - National Organ Donor Day (Feb. 14).

* Sun., Feb. 14 - Autism Sunday / International Day of Prayer for Autism and Asperger Syndrome (Second Sunday of February).

* Mon., Feb. 15 (1564) - Anniversary of the birth of Italian Astronomer Galileo Galilei (Feb. 15).

* Mon., Feb. 15 - Washington's Birthday Observed / Presidents' Day (USA Federal Holiday: Third Monday in Feb.)
See also: Washington's Birthday Observed / Presidents' Day * Washington's Birthday Actual (Julian Calendar) * Washington's Birthday Actual (Gregorian Calendar) * Lincoln's Birthday.
Also see: The Astronomy President.

* Mon., Feb. 15 (1820) - Susan B. Anthony Day - Birthday of Susan B. Anthony and commemoration of women's suffrage in the United States (Feb. 15).

* Mon., Feb. 15, 2:46 a.m. EST / 7:46 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Tue., Feb. 16, 2:41 a.m. EST / 7:41 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.3 degree south of the Moon.

* Wed., Feb. 17 - Digital Learning Day.

* Wed., Feb. 17 - Random Acts Of Kindness Day (Feb. 17).

* Thur., Feb. 18 - DEADLINE for submitting an application to NASA for the employment position of Astronaut.

* Thur., Feb. 18 (1930) - Anniversary date of Planet Pluto (now designated Dwarf Planet 134340 Pluto) discovered by Clyde Tombaugh working at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona (Feb. 18).

* Sat., Feb. 20 (1491) - Anniversary of the "Comet of 1491" which, until 2002, was considered the closest comet to ever approach the Earth. Today, this comet is not considered the closest comet to ever approach the Earth, due to the unreliability of data. (Feb. 20)
More information.

* Feb. 21 to 27 - National Engineers Week (Third or fourth week in February, which includes George Washington's actual birthday of February 22).

* Sun., Feb. 21, 12:00 Noon EST / 17:00 UTC - Mercury at aphelion.

* Feb. 22 to 27 - America Saves Week (Last week of Feb.).

* Mon., Feb. 22 (1732) - Anniversary of birth of first American President, George Washington, according to Gregorian Calendar, which we use today; according to Julian Calendar (also known as "Old Style Calendar") at use at that time, George Washington's birthday occurred on Feb. 11 (Feb. 22).
See also: Washington's Birthday Observed / Presidents' Day * Washington's Birthday Actual (Julian Calendar) * Washington's Birthday Actual (Gregorian Calendar) * Lincoln's Birthday.

* Mon., Feb. 22, 7:48 a.m. EST / 12:48 UTC - Star Regulus 2.5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Mon., Feb. 22, 1:20 p.m. EST / 18:20 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Snow Moon).

* Tue., Feb. 23 - World Spay Day (Last Tuesday of every February).

* Tue., Feb. 23, 10:58 p.m. EST / Feb. 24, 3:58 UTC - Jupiter 1.7 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., Feb. 24 (1914) - Anniversary of the concept of the Projection Planetarium.

* Wed., Feb. 24 - Zodiacal Light visible, with difficulty, after evening twilight (visible for up to an hour after dusk) in the western sky of the Northern Hemisphere, for the next two weeks (February, March).

* Thur., Feb. 25 - Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Thursday of National Engineering Week).

* Feb. 26, 27, 28 - National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend (Last weekend of February / first weekend of March).

* Feb. 25 - Equilux when considering Civil Twilight (Dawn before sunrise and Dusk after sunset) - When considering Civil Twilight, the day when daylight and darkness, both, have the same length of hours and minutes. Occurs twice each year, approximately 23 days before the Vernal Equinox and 23 days after the Autumnal Equinox. (Feb. 25-26, Oct. 15)

* Fri., Feb. 26, 2:05 p.m. EST / 19:05 UTC - Star Spica 5.1 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri., Feb. 26, 10:28 p.m. EST / Feb. 27, 3:28 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,383 kilometers.

* Feb. 27 to March 4 - Military Saves Week.

* Sat., Feb. 27 - International Polar Bear Day (Feb. 27).

* Feb. 28 to March 5 - Montessori Education Week (Last week of February / first week of March).

* Sun., Feb. 28, 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - Neptune in conjunction with the Sun (Neptune not visible, even with a telescope).

* Mon, Feb. 29 - Leap Year Day - Extra day added to the Gregorian Calendar once every four years (in calendar years divisible by four), to keep the calendar synchronized with the Earth's revolution around the Sun (Feb. 29): Link 1 *** Link 2.

* Mon, Feb. 29, 1:16 p.m. EST / 18:16 UTC - Mars 3.6 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue., March 1 (1504 Feb. 29 to March 1) - Anniversary of total lunar eclipse used by Christopher Columbus, to scare the natives of Jamaica into providing food and other provisions for his sailors (Feb. 29 to March 1).
Also see first recorded lunar eclipse in continental North America.

* Feb. 27 to March 4 - Military Saves Week.

* Feb. 28 to March 5 - Montessori Education Week (Last week of February / first week of March).

* March 1 to 10 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Tue., March 1 - Beginning of Meteorological Spring Season in Northern Hemisphere. (March 1)

* Tue., March 1 - Beginning of Autumn Season in Australia. (March 1)

* Tue., March 1 - St. David's Day. (March 1)

* Tue. March 1 (1504 Feb. 29 to March 1) - Anniversary of total lunar eclipse used by Christopher Columbus, to scare the natives of Jamaica into providing food and other provisions for his sailors. (Feb. 29 to March 1)
Also see first recorded lunar eclipse in continental North America.

* Tue., March 1, 6:11 p.m. EST / 23:11 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Tue., March 1, 11:25 p.m. EST / March 2, 4:25 UTC / March 2, 10:25 a.m. Kazakhstan Local Time - NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly touches-down in Kazakhstan, returning to Earth after nearly a year on the International Space Station--the longest time an American astronaut has stayed in Outer Space.

* Wed., March 2 - Read Across America sponsored by the National Education Association to motivate children to read, in addition to helping them master basic skills. (Annual--on or near March 2, birthday of Dr. Seuss)

* Thur., March 3 - World Wildlife Day. (March 3)

* Thur., March 3, 5:00 p.m. EST / 22:00 UTC - Asteroid and Dwarf Planet Ceres in conjunction with the Sun (Ceres not visible, even with a telescope).

* Fri., March 4 (1681) - Pennsylvania Charter Day - William Penn received charter, for what became the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, from Great Britain's King Charles II on 1681 March 4. (March 4)

* Fri., March 4 - National Grammar Day. (March 4)

* Fri., March 4 - Employee Appreciation Day. (First Friday of March)

* Fri., March 4, 6:31 a.m. EST / 11:31 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* March 6 to 12 - Teen Tech Week.

* March 6 to 12 - National Consumer Protection Week. (First full week of March)

* March 6 to 13 - National Sleep Awareness Week®. (last day of week coincides, each year, with conversion to Daylight Saving Time)

* March 7 to 11 - Open Education Week.

* Mon., March 7, 6:00 a.m. EST / 11:00 UTC - Venus 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Mon., March 7, 7:28 p.m. EST / March 8, 0:28 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Tue., March 8 - International Women's Day. (March 8)

* Tue., March 8, 6:00 a.m. EST / 11:00 UTC - Jupiter at opposition (Jupiter visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Tue., March 8, 8:54 p.m. EST / March 9, 1:54 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1153.

* Tue., March 8, 8:57:11.4 p.m. EST / March 9, 1:57:11.4 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse during the Total Eclipse of the Sun visible in Indonesia and part of the Pacific Ocean. A Partial Solar Eclipse is visible over a wide area including southeastern and eastern portions of Asia, Oceania, most of Australia, and a large part of the Pacific Ocean, along with some visibility in Hawaii and the western section of Alaska.
NEVER look directly at a Solar Eclipse or Eclipse of the Sun unless you have the training and proper equipment to do so safely.
SAFE WAY TO VIEW SOLAR ECLIPSE OR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

* Wed., March 9, 1:56 p.m. EST / 18:56 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Thur., March 10 (1876) - 140th Anniversary: First successful telephone transmission of clear speech - when Alexander Graham Bell transmitted, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you." Three days earlier, on March 7, Alexander Graham Bell received a U.S. patent for the telephone. (March 10)

* Thur., March 10, 2:00 a.m. EST / 7:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 359,510 kilometers.

* Fri., March 11, 8:25 a.m. EST / 13:25 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Sat., March 12 (1912) - Anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. (March 12)

* Sat., March 12 (1989) - Anniversary of the original proposal founding the World Wide Web on the Internet. (March 12)

* March 13 to 19 - Wildfire Prevention Week. [Pennsylvania: Spring (Second week of March), Autumn]

* Sun., March 13 - Day of Planetaria. (Day in mid-March)

* Sun., March 13 (1781) - Anniversary of the Planet Uranus discovery announced by Sir Frederick William Herschel. (March 13)

* Sun., March 13 (1938) - Anniversary of beginning of the CBS World News Roundup, the longest-running, network news broadcast in America. (March 13)

* Sun., March 13, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time (Standard Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS - Beginning in 2007, EARLY DUE TO NEW FEDERAL LAW. Civil Time changes from 2:00 a.m. Standard Time to 3:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time (Second Sunday in March, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time).
Some States to Abandon Daylight Saving Time ?
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* March 14 to 20 - Brain Awareness Week. (Second full week of March)

* March 14 to 20 - Fix-a-Leak Week. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: second week of March)

* Mon., March 14 - Pi Day, a holiday commemorating the mathematical constant π (pi). (March 14: 3.14)

* Mon., March 14, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.3 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Northern Africa, southeastern portion of Europe, Middle East, India, China, and most of Southeast Asia.

* Mon., March 14, 10:22 p.m. EDT / March 15, 2:22 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Oct. 17 to 21 - Solar Week. (Mid-to-Late March, Mid-to-Late October)

* Tue., March 15, 1:03 a.m. EDT / 17:03 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Tue., March 15 - Ides of March. (March 15)
Also see: Ides of March article on StarDate.

* Tue., March 15 - Buzzards return to Hinckley, Ohio (Cleveland suburb). (March 15)

* Wed., March 16 - Equilux - The actual day with equal hours and minutes of the Sun above the horizon, and equal hours and minutes of the Sun below the horizon. Occurs twice each year, approximately 3-to-4 days before the Vernal Equinox and 3-to-4 days after the Autumnal Equinox. (March 16, September 25)

* Wed., March 16 - Freedom of Information Day, the birthday of James Madison, who is widely regarded as the Father of the Constitution and as the foremost advocate for openness in government. (March 16)

* Wed., March 16, 6:50 p.m. EDT / 20:50 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Thur., March 17 - St. Patrick's Day. (March 17)

* Fri., March 18, 11:18 a.m. EDT / 15:18 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Sat., March 19 - St. Joseph's Day - Swallows return to Mission San Juan Capistrano, California. (March 19)

* Sat., March 19, 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Prevailing Local Time - Earth Hour annual environmental observance. (Saturday Late in March, 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Prevailing Local Time)

* March 20 to April 17 - Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC (Vernal Equinox to early April).

* March 20 to 26 - Holy Week. (Week of Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday; Traditionally, also including Easter Sunday, and possibly including Easter Monday)
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* March 20 to 26 - Pennsylvania Medicine Cabinet Clean-up Week. (Week Beginning with the Vernal Equinox)

* Sun., March 20 - Venus at aphelion.

* Sun., March 20 - Palm Sunday. (Sunday before Easter Sunday)
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* Sun., March 20, 12:30 a.m. EDT / 4:30 UTC - Vernal Equinox - Spring Season begins in Northern Hemisphere of Earth. (~March 20)
Beginning of New Year (Solar Calendar) in Afghanistan and Iran / Persia (Nowruz) and Bahá'í Naw-Rúz, one of nine holy days of the Bahá'í Faith.

* Sun., March 20, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Venus 0.5 degree south of Neptune.

* March 21 to 25 - Flood Safety Awareness Week. (Pennsylvania: March).

* Tue., March 22 - World Water Day. (March 22)

* Tue., March 22, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Jupiter 2 degrees north of the Moon.

* Tue., March 22, 12:23 a.m. EDT / 4:23 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Wed., March 23 (1989) - Apollo Asteroid 1989FC, with a diameter of 300 meters, comes within 690,000 kilometers of the Earth in 1989. (March 23)

* Wed., March 23 - Holy Wednesday. (Wednesday before Easter Sunday)
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* Wed., March 23, 7:47:11.8 a.m. EDT / 11:47:11.8 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for the Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon visible over much of the Pacific Ocean, western section of North America, eastern section of Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Eastern portions of North and South America can view part of the eclipse before moonset, while central and eastern sections of Asia miss the beginning of the eclipse which occurs before moonrise in these areas.
A Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon or Penumbral Lunar Eclipse provides a dim shading of the Moon; do not expect a major change in the brightness of the Moon during this event.
Any Eclipse of the Moon or Lunar Eclipse is completely safe to view with the naked-eye, binoculars, and telescopes.

* Wed., March 23, 8:01 a.m. EDT / 12:01 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Worm Moon).

* Wed., March 23, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., March 23, Sunset (Pittsburgh - Sunset: 7:36 p.m. EDT / 23:36 UTC) - Purim - Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, in the ancient Persian Empire, who was planning to kill all the Jews.

* Wed., March 23, 7:47 p.m. EDT / 23:47 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Thur., March 24 - Maundy Thursday / Holy Thursday. (Thursday before Easter Sunday)
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* Fri., March 25 - Good Friday. (Friday before Easter Sunday)
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* Fri., March 25 - Feast of the Annunciation observed nine full months before Christmas Day. The Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 (also the Vernal Equinox in the "original" Julian Calendar adopted by the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, in the 7th century B.C.) had been considered the beginning of the New Year, until the Gregorian Calendar reform, when Pope Gregory XIII chose the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ (Jan. 1) as the beginning of the New Year in the Roman Catholic Church's Liturgical Year. (March 25)

* Fri., March 25 - Lady Day in England, the first of the four traditional English quarter days, was New Year's Day up to 1752 when, following the move from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar, January 1 became the start of the year. Lady Day (for the Virgin Mary) is the traditional name of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin (March 25) in some English-speaking countries. (March 25)

* Fri., March 25 - Zodiacal Light visible, with difficulty, after evening twilight in the western sky of the Northern Hemisphere, for the next two weeks. (February, March)

* Fri., March 25, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,125 kilometers.

* Fri., March 25, 1:41 p.m. EDT / 17:41 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Sat., March 26 - Holy Saturday. (Saturday before Easter Sunday)
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* March 27 to April 2 - Tsunami Preparedness Week.

* Sun., March 27 (Sunrise in Pittsburgh: 7:11 a.m. EDT / 11:11 UTC) - Easter Sunday. [46 days after Ash Wednesday; the first Sunday after the full moon (the Paschal Full Moon) following the March equinox (ecclesiastically, the equinox is reckoned to be on March 21, even though the equinox occurs, astronomically speaking, on March 20 in most years)]
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* March 27 to April 2 - National Week of the Ocean.

* Mon., March 28 - Easter Monday. (Monday after Easter Sunday)
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* Tue., March 29, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* March 30 to April 8 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Wed., March 30 - Pennsylvania Female Veterans' Day. (March 30)

* Wed., March 30 - National Doctors' Day. (March 30)

* Thur., March 31 - World Back-Up Day. (March 31)

* Thur., March 31 (1851) - 165th Anniversary: Jean Leon Foucault first demonstrates, to the general public, in the Pantheon in Paris, the Foucault Pendulum, which is a proof that the Earth rotates on its axis. He had invented the device on 1851 January 8 and first demonstrated it to scientists on 1851 February 3.
Near the end of his life, Jean Leon Foucault also developed the Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope. (March 31)

* Thur., March 31 - Last day of Calendar Year First Quarter. (March 31)

* Thur., March 31, 11:17 a.m. EDT / 15:17 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* March 20 to April 17 - Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC.

* March 27 to April 2 - Tsunami Preparedness Week.

* March 27 to April 2 - National Week of the Ocean.

* March 30 to April 8 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* April 1 to 30 - National Kite Month. (April; plus in some years: some days in March and May)

* Fri., April 1 - First day of calendar year Second Quarter. (April 1)

* Fri., April 1 - April Fools' Day - The end of a week-long (March 25 to April 1) New Year's festival in France during the Middle Ages, until January 1 was declared New Year's Day in 1564. After 1564, people in France who celebrated New Year's on April 1 were considered "April Fools." (April 1)

* Fri., April 1 (1960) - Anniversary of launch of first successful weather satellite, TIROS-1. (April 1)
Also see: Space Race To Create Quantum Satellite.

* Fri., April 1 (1954) - Anniversary of first broadcast of educational television station WQED-TV 13 in Pittsburgh, the nation's first community-supported television station. (April 1)

* Fri., April 1, 4:18 p.m. EDT / 20:18 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* April 2 to 10 - National Robotics Week.

* Sat., April 2 - Park Day - Annual hands-on preservation event to help Civil War — and now Revolutionary War — battlefields and historic sites take on maintenance projects large and small. (First Saturday of April)

* Sat., April 2 - Light It Up Blue, in North America, is dedicated to raising awareness of autism (April 2) / World Autism Awareness Day. (April 2)

* Sun., April 3 (1513) - Anniversary of the Discovery of Florida by Ponce de Leon. (April 3)

* Sun., April 3, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time (Daylight Saving Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME CONTINUES - Change in Federal law, thus that change from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time occured the second Sunday in March: 2:00 a.m. Standard Time then became 3:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time on the second Sunday in March. (Previously, first Sunday of April)
Some States to Abandon Daylight Saving Time ?
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Sun., April 3, 11:11 a.m. EDT / 15:11 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* April 4 to 10 - International Dark-Sky Week. (Week of the New Moon in April)

* April 4 to 10 - National Public Health Week.

* Tue., April 5 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Tue., April 5, 5:37 a.m. EDT / 9:37 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Wed., April 6 - National Walking Day. (First Wednesday of April)

* Wed., April 6 - Tartan Day - Celebration of Scottish heritage. (April 6)

* Wed., April 6, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Venus 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: North Africa, Europe, northern portion of the Middle East, northwestern portion of Asia.

* Thur., April 7 - No Housework Day. (April 7)

* Thur., April 7, 7:24 a.m. EDT / 11:24 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1154.

* Thur., April 7, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 357,163 kilometers.
Large Tides Predicted.

* Fri., April 8, 6:55 p.m. EDT / 22:55 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Sat., April 9 (1865) - American Civil War ended with the surrender by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. (April 9)
Also see the Civil War Museum of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania.

* Sat., April 9, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Asteroid Vesta 0.02 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Indonesia, Malaysia, northwestern portion of Australia, most of the Philippines, Micronesia, Hawaii.

* Sat., April 9, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Uranus in conjunction with the Sun (Uranus not visible, even with a telescope.)

* April 10 to 16 - National Library Week.

* April 10 to 16 - National Volunteer Week.

* April 10 to 16 - The Week of the Young Child™.

* April 10 to 16 - Pan American Week. (Week of April 14, Pan American Day)

* April 10 to 16 - National Crime Victims' Rights Week. (Week in April)

* Sun., April 10 - Good Deeds Day". (Sunday in March or April)

* Sun., April 10 (1996) - World record fastest wind gust on the Earth's surface (not related to a tornado) recorded by automated, unstaffed weather instrument station on Australia's Barrow Island during Tropical Cyclone Olivia: 253 miles per hour. (April 10)
Also see: Western and Northern Hemispheres' record fastest wind gust on the Earth's surface.

* Sun., April 10, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.3 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Hawaii, most of North America (except Central America, southern Mexico, northern Canada, Alaska), northern Caribbean Islands, Azore Islands.

* April 11 to 15 - National Retirement Planning Week®.

* April 11 to 15 - National Work Zone Awareness Week. (Spring)

* Tue., April 12 - National Library Workers Day. (Tuesday of National Library Week)

* Tue., April 12 - Equal Pay Day - This date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. (Mid-April)

* Tue., April 12 (1981) - First launch of an American Space Shuttle (STS), Columbia. (April 12)

* Tue., April 12 (1961) - International Day of Human Space Flight - Anniversary of when Russia launched the first human into space and orbit of the Earth, Yuri Gagarin. (April 12)

* Tue., April 12 (1934) - World record fastest wind gust on the Earth's surface (not related to a tornado), until 1996 April 10, recorded at Mount Washington Weather Observatory, New Hampshire: 231 miles per hour. This is still the fastest wind gust on the Earth's surface (not related to a tornado) recorded in the Western Hemisphere and in the Northern Hemisphere, and the fastest wind gust on the Earth's surface (not related to a tornado) observed by humans. (April 12)
Also see: World record fastest wind gust on the Earth's surface.

* Tue., April 12 (1861) - The American Civil War began. (April 12)
Also see the Civil War Museum of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania.

* Wed., April 13 - National Bookmobile Day. (Wednesday of National Library Week)

* Wed., April 13, 11:59 p.m. EDT / April 14, 3:59 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Thur., April 14 - Teen Literature Day. (Thursday of National Library Week)

* Thur., April 14 - Pan American Day. (April 14)

* Thur., April 14 (1912), 11:40 p.m. (Ship Time) Anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on the ship's maiden voyage. (April 14)
Also see: Titanic Sunk by the Moon?

* April 14 to 15 (1865) - Assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. (April 14 to 15)
Also see the Civil War Museum of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania.

* Fri., April 15 - Tax Day (USA) - Individual Federal tax returns due or postmarked by end of day. (Each April 15, unless delayed by a holiday)

* April 16 to 22 - Earth Week. (Week leading to and including Earth Day, April 22: April 16 to 22)

* April 16 to 23 - National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW).

* April 16 to 24 - National Park Week.

* Sat., April 16 - National Healthcare Decisions Day. (April 16)

* Sat., April 16 - National Stress Awareness Day. (April 16)

* Sat., April 16 - World Voice Day. (April 16)

* April 17 to 23 - National Environmental Education Week. (EE Week: Week before Earth Day)

* April 17 to 23 - National Minority Cancer Awareness Week. (Third week of April)

* Sun., April 17 - World Hemophilia Day. (April 17)

* Sun., April 17 - Blah, Blah, Blah Day. (April 17)

* Mon., April 18 - Patriots' Day. (Third Monday of April)

* Mon., April 18, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC - Jupiter 2 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., April 20, Evening - World Night in Defence of the Starlight. (April 20, Evening)

* Thur., April 21, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,351 kilometers.

* Fri., April 22 - Earth Day. (April 22)

Sat., April 22 - Record Store Day. (Second or third Saturday in April)

* Fri., April 22, 1:24 a.m. EDT / 5:24 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon. (Pink Moon)

* Fri., April 22, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Lyrid Meteor Shower. (April 22)

* April 22, local sunset to April 30, local sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh - April 22: 8:07 p.m. EDT / April 23, 0:07 UTC; April 30: 8:15 p.m. EDT / May 1, 0:15 UTC) - Jewish festival of Passover.

* April 23 to 30 - Money Smart Week®.

* Sat., April 23 - World Laboratory Day. (April 23)

* Sat., April 23 - World Book and Copyright Day / World Book Night. (April 23)

* Sat., April 23 - National Junior Ranger Day. (Saturday in National Park Week)

* April 24 to 30 - National Sky Awareness Week (SAW), a week set-aside to “look up” and to see the myriad of cloud patterns and formations that grace the sky. (Last week of April)

* April 24 to 30 - Preservation Week for library and archive materials. (Last week of April)

* April 24 to 30 - Administrative Professionals Week. (Last full week of April)

* Sun., April 24 (1800) - Library of Congress established by an act of the U.S. Congress. (April 24)

* April 25 to 29 - Severe Weather Awareness Week. (Pennsylvania: April)

* Mon., April 25 - World Malaria Day. (April 25)

* April 25, 26 - Quasi-conjunction / grouping of the Moon, Saturn, Mars, and Star Antares.

* Tue., April 26 - World Intellectual Property Day. (April 26)

* Tue., April 26, 11:00 p.m. EDT / April 27, 3:00 UTC - Asteroid Juno at opposition (Juno visible, in a telescope, from approx. local sunset to approx. local sunrise).

* Wed., April 27 - Administrative Professionals Day. (Wednesday of Administrative Professionals' Week, last full week of April)

* April 28, 29 - Holocaust Remembrance Days (USA). (April 28, 29)

* Thur., April 28 - National Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day. (Fourth Thursday of April)

* Thur., April 28 - Workers' Memorial Day. (April 28)

* April 29 to May 8 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Fri., April 29 - Arbor Day - National Arbor Day Foundation. (Last Friday of April)

* Fri., April 29 - Teach Children to Save Day. (Last Friday of April)

* Sat., April 30 - Save the Frogs Day. (Last Saturday in April)
Also see news article.

* Sat., April 30, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Prevailing Local Time - National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (Last Saturday in April)

* Sat., April 30, 11:29 p.m. EDT / May 1, 3:29 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Sun., May 1 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day - Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; approximate mid-way point in Spring season. (May 1)
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Sun., May 1 (Sunrise in Pittsburgh: 6:18 a.m. EDT / 10:18 UTC) - Orthodox Easter Sunday. [46 days after Orthodox Ash Wednesday; the first Sunday after the full moon (the Paschal Full Moon) following the March equinox (ecclesiastically, the equinox is reckoned to be on March 21, even though the equinox occurs, astronomically speaking, on March 20 in most years)]
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* Thur., May 5, 9:32 a.m. EDT / 13:32 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day - Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; mid-way point in Spring season (~May 5 to 6).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* April 26 to May 2 - Preservation Week for library and archive materials.

* April 29 to May 8 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* May 1 to 7 - Choose Privacy Week. (May 1 to 7)

* May 1 to 7 - Arson Awareness Week.

* May 1 to 7 - National Travel and Tourism Week. (First full week of May)

* May 1 to 7 - National Small Business Week.

* Sun., May 1 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day - Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; approximate mid-way point in Spring season. (May 1)
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Sun., May 1 (Sunrise in Pittsburgh: 6:18 a.m. EDT / 10:18 UTC) - Orthodox Easter Sunday. [46 days after Orthodox Ash Wednesday; the first Sunday after the full moon (the Paschal Full Moon) following the March equinox (ecclesiastically, the equinox is reckoned to be on March 21, even though the equinox occurs, astronomically speaking, on March 20 in most years)]
Will Christians Agree to Fix the Date of Easter?

* Sun., May 1 - Law Day. (May 1)

* Sun., May 1 - Loyalty Day. (May 1)

* May 2 to 6 - National PTA Teacher Appreciation Week. (First full school-week of May)

* May 2 to 8 - Children's Book Week (Moved from 2007 Nov. 12 to 18).

* Tue., May 3 - National Teacher Day. (Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week)

* Tue., May 3 - World Press Freedom Day (May 3).

* Tue., May 3 (1971) - 45th Anniversary of the National Public Radio (NPR) news program, "All Things Considered" (ATC). (May 3)

* Tue., May 3 - World Asthma Day. (First Tuesday in May)

* Tue., May 3 - Give Local America Day to raise money for local non-profit organizations. (First Tuesday of May)

* Wed., May 4 - Bird Day - Created in 1894 in the Western Pennsylvania community of Oil City. (May 4)

* Wed., May 4 - Bike to School Day. (First Wed. in May)

* Wed., May 4 - "Star Wars" Day - "May the Fourth Be With You." (May 4)

* Thur., May 5 - Cinco de Mayo. (Mexico: May 5)

* Thur., May 5, 9:32 a.m. EDT / 13:32 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day - Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; mid-way point in Spring season (~May 5 to 6).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Thur., May 5, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of n-Aquarid (Eta Aquarid) Meteor Shower - remnants from Halley's Comet. (May 5 to 7)

* May 6 to 12 - National Nurses Week (from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing).

* Fri., May 6 - National Nurses Day / National RN Recognition Day (May 6).

* Fri., May 6 - Space Day. (First Friday in May)

* Fri., May 6 - National Tourist Appreciation Day. (May 6)

* Fri., May 6, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 357,827 kilometers.
Large tides predicted.

* Fri., May 6, 3:30 p.m. EDT / 19:30 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1155.

* Sat., May 7 - World Password Day. (May 7)

* Sat., May 7 - National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. (First Saturday in May)

* Sat., May 7 - National Scrapbooking Day. (First Saturday in May)

* Sat., May 7 - National Train Day. (Celebrated on the Saturday closest to the anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike for the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States of America: 1869 May 10)

* Sat., May 7 - National Comic Day. Event at Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie PA, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT / 15:00 to 19:00 UTC. (First Saturday in May)

* Sat., May 7, 12:39 a.m. EDT / 4:39 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* May 8 to 14 - Bicycle Week / Bike-to-Work Week. (Second week of May)

* May 8 to 14 - National Hospital Week: Link 1 *** Link 2.

* May 8 to 14 - Food Allergy Awareness Week (FAAW).

* May 8 to 14 - Women's Health Week. (Week that begins on Mothers' Day)

* Sun., May 8 - Mothers' Day. (Second Sunday in May)

* Sun., May 8 (1828) - World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. (May 8)

* Sun., May 8 (1945) - Victory in Europe Day. (May 8)

* Sun., May 8, 5:00 a.m. EDT / 9:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.5 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northern and northeastern portion of Africa, southern portion of Europe, Middle East, Russia, China, Japan.

* May 9 to 15 / Oct. 3 to 9 - International Astronomy Week (Begins on the Monday preceding the Saturday designated as Astronomy Day).

* Mon., May 9 - Women's Checkup Day. (Monday after Mothers' Day - Monday of Women's Health Week)

* Mon., May 9, 7:12:19 a.m. to 2:42:26 p.m. EDT / 11:12:19 to 18:42:26 UTC - Transit of the Planet Mercury across the front of the Sun - Fairly rare event that will only happen 14 times this century.
NEVER look directly at the Sun, a solar eclipse, or a solar transit of a planet with a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device unless you have the special training and special equipment to do so safely. Otherwise, this would cause PERMANENT BLINDNESS INSTANTLY !
Check with a local planetarium, astronomical observatory, science center or museum, the Astronomy or Physics Department at a local college or university, amateur astronomers' club, or local library. Sometimes, one or more of these organizations will sponsor a safe observing session of this Solar Transit of the Planet Mercury, utilizing professional equipment operated by trained astronomers.
Live, safe images of this event can be viewed on the Internet at < http://live.slooh.com/ >. In south suburban Pittsburgh, live, safe images of this event can be viewed at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library - More Information.

* Mon., May 9, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Mercury in inferior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., May 11 - National School Nurse Day. (Wednesday Of National Nurses Week)

* Wed., May 11 - National Student Nurses Day. (Wednesday Of National Nurses Week - originally May 8)

* Thur., May 12 - National Lab Day. (May 12)

* Thur., May 12 - International Nurses Day, the birth date of pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale, and the end of the annual Nurses Week. (May 12)

* Thur., May 12 - Limerick Day. (May 12)

* Fri., May. 13 - "Friday the 13th" superstition; debunking this superstition, purpose of character King Friday the 13th on popular PBS children's television series, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (originated at WQED-TV channel 13 in Pittsburgh). (Friday the 13th)

* Fri., May 13 (1611) - “Galileo Confirmation Day,” anniversary of the day Jesuit priests held a banquet in honor of Galileo Galilei, for his discovery of four moons orbiting the planet Jupiter. (May 13)

* Fri., May. 13 - Wear Your Life-Jacket to Work Day. (Friday before the beginning of Safe Boating Week)

* Fri., May. 13, 1:02 p.m. EDT / 17:02 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* May 14 to 22 - Armed Forces Week. (USA: Second Saturday to Sunday of following week in May)

* Sat., May 14 / Sat., Oct. 8 - International Astronomy Day. [Saturdays in Spring (Saturday in Astronomy Week) and Autumn]:
Link 1 *** Link 2

* Sat., May 14 - International Migratory Bird Day. (Second Saturday in May)

* Sat., May 14 - Stamp-Out Hunger Food Drive. (Second Saturday of May)

* Sat., May 14 - World Fair Trade Day. (Second Saturday of May)

* May 15 to 21 - National Transportation Week / National Defense Transportation Week. [Week in which National Defense Transportation Day falls (Friday)]

* May 15 to 21 - National Safe Boating Week. (First full week before Memorial Day Weekend)

* May 15 to 21 - Hurricane Preparedness Week. (Mid-May)

* May 15 to 21 - Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week. (Third week of May)

* May 15 to 21 - National Police Week. [Week including National Peace Officers' Memorial Day (May 15)]

* Sun., May 15 - National Peace Officers' Memorial Day. (May 15)

* Sun., May 15 - International Day of Families. (May 15)

* Sun., May 15, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Jupiter 2.0 degrees north of the Moon.

* May 17 to 23 - National Dog-Bite Prevention Week. (May 17 to 23)

* Wed., May 18 - International Museum Day. (May 18)

* Wed., May 18 - Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day. [Wednesday of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week]

* Wed., May 18 - Visit Your Relatives Day. (May 18)

* Wed., May 18, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,933 kilometers.

* Thur., May 19 - National May Ray Day This is a day to be outside, enjoying the sunshine and soaking up some rays from our nearest star. (May 19)

* Thur., May 19 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Fri., May 20 - Weights and Measures Day. (May 20)

* Fri., May 20 - Endangered Species Day.

* Fri., May 20 - National Defense Transportation Day. (Third Friday in May - Friday of National Defense Transportation Week)

* Fri., May 20 - Bike-to-Work Day. (Third Friday in May)

* Fri., May 20 - Food Revolution Day.

* Sat., May 21 - Armed Forces Day. (USA: Third Saturday in May)

* Sat., May 21 (1881) - Founding of the American Red Cross. (May 21)

* Sat., May 21, 5:14 p.m. EDT / 21:14 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Flower Moon).
Smallest Full Moon of 2016.

* Sun., May 22 - National Maritime Day. (May 22)
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science displayed the largest Mercator's Projection Map of the World, originally produced by the U.S. Maritime Commission for display at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.

* Sun., May 22, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Mars at opposition (Mars visible approx. local sunset to approx. local sunrise).

* Mon., May 23 - World Turtle Day. (May 23)

* Mon., May 23 - Victoria Day - In Canada, informally considered the beginning of the Summer season. (Last Monday before May 25)

* Mon., May 23, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Asteroid Vesta in conjunction with the Sun (Vesta not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., May 25 (1961) - Anniversary of when U.S. President John F. Kennedy, in a special speech before a joint session of the U.S. Congress, proposes a new national goal: "First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth." (May 25)

* Wed., May 25 - National Missing Children's Day. (May 25)

* Thur., May 26, 9:00 p.m. EDT / May 27, 1:00 UTC - NBC-TV - Red Nose Day / Comedy Day. (Late May)

* Fri., May 27 - Don't Fry Day - The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention Encourages Sun Safety Awareness. (Friday before Memorial Day).

* May 29 to June 4 - National Tire Safety Week.

* May 29 to June 7 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Sun., May 29, 8:12 a.m. EDT / 12:12 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Mon., May 30 - Memorial Day. (USA: Last Monday in May)
Originally observed as Decoration Day. (USA: May 30)

* Mon., May 30 - Decoration Day. (USA: May 30)
Now observed as Memorial Day. (USA: Last Monday in May)

* Mon., May 30, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Mars closest approach to the Earth for the next two years, at a distance of 46.8 million miles / 75.3 million kilometers.

* Tue., May 31 - World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). (May 31)

.

* May 29 to June 7 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* June 1 to 7 - National CPR and AED Awareness Week. (June 1 to 7)

* Wed., June 1 - Beginning of Meteorological Season of Summer in Northern Hemisphere / Meteorological Season of Winter in Southern Hemisphere. (June 1)

* Wed., June 1 - Beginning of Hurricane Season in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. (June 1)

* Wed., June 1 - International Children's Day. (June 1)

* Wed., June 1 - Global Day of Parents. (June 1)

* Thur., June 2 - National Gun Violence Awareness Day. (June 2)

* Fri., June 3, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Saturn at opposition (Saturn at its brightest; visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Fri., June 3, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Mercury 0.7 degree north of the Moon; occultation: portions of Antarctica, southern portion of Africa, Madagascar.

* Fri., June 3, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 224,401.992 miles / 361,140 kilometers.

* Sat., June 4 - National Trails Day®. (First Saturday in June)

* Sat., June 4 - Name Tag Day. (First Saturday in June)
Pittsburgh Name Tag Day Event.

* Sat., June 4, 11:00 p.m. EDT / June 5, 3:00 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1156.

* Sun., June 5 - United Nations World Environment Day. (June 5)
( For 2010 United Nations World Environment Day Host City for North America: Pittsburgh.)

* Sun., June 5 - National Cancer Survivors Day®. (First Sunday in June)

* June 5, local sunset (Pittsburgh - June 5, 8:47 p.m. EDT / June 6, 0:47 UTC) to July 4, local sunset (Pittsburgh - July 4, 8:53 p.m. EDT / July 5, 0:53 UTC) - In Islam, the month of Ramadan, calculated by using the Islamic lunar calendar, begins at astronomical New Moon.

* Mon., June 6 (1944) - Anniversary of the D-Day Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. (June 6)

* Mon., June 6, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Venus in superior conjunction (Venus not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., June 8 - World Oceans Day. (June 8)

* Wed., June 8 (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Arietid Meteor Shower. (June 7 to 9)

* Fri., June 10, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Star Regulus 2.0 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., June 11 (1638; originally recorded as June 1 O.S. of the Julian Calendar) - First earthquake recorded in North America: New England / St. Lawrence Valley region. (June 11)

* Sat., June 11 - National Get Outdoors Day. (Second Saturday in June)

* Sat., June 11, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Jupiter 1.5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sun., June 12 - National Children's Day. (Second Sunday in June)

* Sun., June 12, 4:10 a.m. EDT / 8:10 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* June 13 to 17 - Lightning Safety Awareness Week; see article. (June)

* June 13 to 19 - Men's Health Week. (Week leading to and including Father's Day)

* Tue., June 14 - Flag Day - USA. (June 14)

* Wed., June 15 (1215) - Anniversary of the Magna Carta, also known as The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, originally issued. (June 15)

* Wed., June 15, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 251,670.2458 miles / 405,024 kilometers.

* Thur., June 16 - "Dump the Pump" Day, sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association and local public transit agencies nationwide, including Pittsburgh's Port Authority of Allegheny County. (Third Thursday in June)

* Thur., June 16 - Recess at Work Day. (Third Thursday in June)

* Sat., June 18 - Phi Day. (June 18)

* Sat., June 18 - Autistic Pride Day about shifting views of autism from "disease" to "difference." (June 18)

* Sat., June 18 (1812) - Anniversary of the day the United States of America declared war on the British Empire, beginning the War of 1812. (June 18)

* Sun., June 19 - Fathers' Day. (Third Sunday in June)

* June 20 to 26 - National Pollinator Week. (June)

* Mon., June 20 - World Refugee Day. (June 20)

* Mon., June 20, 7:02 a.m. EDT / 11:02 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Strawberry Moon.

* Mon., June 20, 6:34 p.m. EDT / 22:34 UTC - Summer Solstice; Season of Summer begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere / Season of Winter begins in Earth's Southern Hemisphere. (June 20 to 22)
Also see ---
* Solstice 2016 special one-hour celebration (5:00 to 6:00 p.m. / 17:00 to 18:00 local time) for each of the Earth's 24 time zones.
* 1985 to1991: Summer "Solstice Day" Annual Free Day at Buhl Planetarium.

* Tue., June 21 - Make Music Day music festivals around the world on or near the day of the Summer Solstice. (June 21)

* Tue., June 21 - International Day of Yoga. (June 21)

* Tue., June 21 - National Aboriginal Day - Canada. (June 21)

* Fri., June 24 - Midsummer Day (Date of Summer Solstice in Roman times)
and St. Jean Baptiste Day / Quebec National Holiday. (June 24)

* June 24 (1947) & July 2 (1947) - Both dates are celebrated as World UFO Day for the first two well-publicized sightings / events regarding what has come to be known as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) ---
1947 June 24: Sighting of 9 UFOs near Mount Rainier, Washington by businessman and private aircraft pilot Kenneth Arnold.
July 2: Alleged crash, on the evening of 1947 July 4, of a UFO about 30-to-40 miles northwest of Roswell, New Mexico. (June 24 & July 2)

* June 25 to 26 - Ham Radio Field Day - When amateur radio operators test emergency radio operations. (Always the fourth full weekend In June)

* Sat., June 25, late evening (1638) - The first astronomical event recorded by native Europeans in continental North America was a total lunar eclipse on 1638 June 25 to 26. (June 25)
Also see information on the total lunar eclipse used by Christopher Columbus to scare natives into providing food and other provisions for his sailors: Link 1 *** Link 2.

* Sat., June 25, 9:00 p.m. EDT / June 26, 1:00 UTC - Neptune 1.2 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: northern and central portions of Europe, western portion of Russia.

* Sun., June 26 - International Sun-Day, a celebration of Astronomy and our planet's very important star, the Sun. (Sunday near the Summer Solstice)

* June 27 to July 6 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Mon., June 27 - National HIV Testing Day (NHTD). (June 27)

* Sat., June 27 - At mid-northern latitudes (~40 degrees North Latitude, which is the latitude of Pittsburgh), latest sunset of the year (Pittsburgh - latest sunset: 8:54 p.m. EDT / June 28, 0:54 UTC). (June 27)

* Mon., June 27, 2:19 p.m. EDT / 18:19 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Tue., June 28 - Tau Day - Day celebrating the value of 2Pi (~6.28), designated Tau, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius. (June 28)
More on Tau Day.

* Thur., June 30 [June 17 O.S. (Old Calendar System / Julian Calendar) used in Russia at the time] (1908) - Anniversary of the Tunguska Blast caused by an air blast of large meteoroid or comet fragment. (June 30)

* Thur., June 30 - Asteroid Day - Annual global awareness movement that brings people from around the world together to learn about asteroids and what we can do to protect our planet, our families, communities, and future generations. Asteroid Day is held on the anniversary of the 1908 June 30 Siberian Tunguska event, the largest asteroid impact on Earth in recent history.

* Thur., June 30 - Last day of calendar year Second Quarter. (June 30)

* Thur., June 30 - Last day of Fiscal Year - Pennsylvania. (June 30)

* June 27 to July 6 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* July 1 to 3 (1863) - Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania of the American Civil War. (July 1 to 3)

* Fri., July 1 (1867) - Dominion Day / Canada Day. (Canada: July 1).

* Fri., July 1 - First day of Fiscal Year - Pennsylvania. (July 1)

* Fri., July 1 - First day of calendar year. Third Quarter (July 1)

* Fri., July 1, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 227,411.3 miles / 365,983 kilometers.

* Sat., July 2 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Sat., July 2, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.4 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northeastern portion of Africa, southeastern portion of Europe, Middle East, southern portion of Russia, China, Japan.

* June 24 (1947) & July 2 (1947) - Both dates are celebrated as World UFO Day for the first two well-publicized sightings / events regarding what has come to be known as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) ---
1947 June 24: Sighting of 9 UFOs near Mount Rainier, Washington by businessman and private aircraft pilot Kenneth Arnold.
July 2: Alleged crash, on the evening of 1947 July 4, of a UFO about 30-to-40 miles northwest of Roswell, New Mexico. (June 24 & July 2)

* July 3 to Aug. 11 (approx.) - " The Dog Days of Summer." (July 3 to Aug. 11)

* Mon., July 4 (1776) - Independence Day, traditionally celebrated with fireworks. (U.S.A.: July 4)

* Mon., July 4 (1054) - Anniversary of observation of a "Guest Star" (i.e. supernova), which created what today is known as the Crab Nebula. Supernova SN 1054 was observed in China, Japan, Baghdad, and by the Anasazi Pueblo Peoples in New Mexico. This was the first recorded observation of a major astronomical event in North America. (July 4)

* Mon., July 4, 7:01 a.m. EDT / 11:01 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1157.

* Mon., July 4, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 16:00 UTC - Earth at aphelion, furthest point in orbit from the Sun:94,512,904.6 miles / 152,103,776 kilometers. (Beginning of July)

* Mon., July 4, Evening - NASA's Juno space probe will go into polar orbit of Jupiter, with the mission to investigate closer to the planet than any other spacecraft. (July 4)

* Wed., July 6, Local Sunset (Pittsburgh - July 6, 8:53 p.m. EDT / July 7, 0:53 UTC) - Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which begins with the observation of the New Moon by religious authorities.

* Wed., July 6, 11:00 p.m. EDT / July 7, 3:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Thur., July 7 - Beginning of the Japanese Star Festivals of Tanabata, which celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair respectively), which, according to legend, are kept separate by the Milky Way except once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. (July 7)

* Thur., July 7, 8:00 p.m. EDT / July 8, 0:00 UTC - Star Regulus 1.8 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., July 9, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Jupiter 0.9 degree north of the Moon; occultation: southern portion of Madagascar, southern tip of Africa, eastern portion of Antarctica.

* Mon., July 11 - World Population Day. (United Nations: July 11)

* Mon., July 11 - Venus at perihelion.

* Mon., July 11, 8:52 p.m. EDT / July 12, 0:52 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Wed., July 13, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 251,201.1 miles / 404,269 kilometers.

* Thur., July 14 (1789) - Bastille Day / French National Day, which celebrates the Storming of the Bastille in Paris at the beginning of the French Revolution. (July 14)

* Fri., July 15 - St. Swithun's Day - According to tradition, the weather occurring on St. Swithun's Day will continue for forty days. This legend does have a scientific basis. At this time of year, for most years, the jet stream settles into a reasonably steady pattern until the end of August. (July 15)

* Fri., July 15 - Military Consumer Protection Day. (Mid-July)

* Sat., July 16 (1945), 5:29:21 a.m. Mountain War Time (MWT) / 11:29:21 UTC (+ 2 seconds or - 2 seconds) - Anniversary: First test, at the Trinity Site in New Mexico, of the first atomic bomb. (July 16)

* Sat., July 16, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Mercury 0.6 degree north of Venus.

* Tue., July 19, 6:57 p.m. EDT / 22:57 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Buck Moon.

* Wed., July 20 (1969), 10:56:20 p.m. EDT / July 21, 2:56:20 UTC - "Moon Day" - Anniversary of the moment the first human (Neil Armstrong) set foot on the Earth's Moon, during the NASA mission of Apollo 11. (July 20)
Special Note: Neil Armstrong was originally scheduled to first step on the Moon during the early morning hours of Monday ("Moonday"), July 21. Although this historic moment actually occurred earlier than scheduled, during the July 20 television prime-time in America, it actually did occur on "Moonday," July 21 at 2:56:20 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the time-scale used by many scientists.
Also see: personal remembrance of Apollo 11 mission.

* Wed., July 20 (1976) - 40th Anniversary of the landing of the NASA space probe, Viking 1, on the surface of Mars, the first U.S. spacecraft to safely land on the red planet. (July 20)

* Fri., July 22 - Pi Approximation Day, a holiday commemorating the mathematical constant π (pi). (July 22: 22/7)

* July 23 to 31 - National Moth Week - CITIZEN SCIENCE project where citizen scientists can help map moth distribution and provide needed information on other life history aspects around the globe. (Last full week of July)

* Sat., July 23 - Hot Enough For Ya Day. (July 23)

* Sat., July 23, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Neptune 1.1 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: central and eastern portions of North America, Greenland, Iceland, northern portion of Scandinavian countries.

* Sun., July 24 - Parents' Day. (Fourth Sunday of July)

* Tue., July 26 (1990) - Anniversary: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signed into law by U.S. President George H.W. Bush. (July 26)

* Tue., July 26, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Wed., July 27, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 229,697.3 miles / 369,662 kilometers.

* July 28 to Aug. 6 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Thur., July 28 - World Hepatitis Day. (July 28)

* Thur., July 28 (1914) - Commencement of World War I. (July 28)

* Thur., July 28, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of S. Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower. (July 28 to 29)

* Fri., July 29 - Annual Rain Day in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. (July 29)

* Fri., July 29 - Computer System Administrator Appreciation Day. (Last Friday in July)

* Fri., July 29, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.3 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Central America, Caribbean, eastern portion of the United States, southern portion of Europe, northern portion of Africa.

* Sat., July 30, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Mercury 0.3 degree north of Star Regulus.

* Sun., July 31 - Dog Days of Summer: Rising of Sirius (the "Dog Star") ahead of the Sun (however, Sirius not visible until, at least, Aug. 7, due to glare of the Sun). (July 31)

* Mon., Aug. 1 - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day, also known as “Lammas” (in the United Kingdom) and “Lughnassad” (in Ireland). Considered approximate date of First Harvest (third traditional cross-quarter day of the year), approximately between the Midsummer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox (July 31 Eve to Aug. 1).
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Sat., Aug. 6, 2:27 p.m. EDT / 18:27 UTC - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (halfway between the June Solstice and September Equinox: ~Aug. 6 to 7).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* July 28 to Aug. 6 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Aug. 1 to 7 - World Breastfeeding Week (WBW). (Aug. 1 to 7)

* Aug. 1 to 7 - National Minority Donor Awareness Week. (Aug. 1 to 7)

* Aug. 1 to 7 - National Farmers Market Week. (First week of August)

* Aug. 1 to 7 - National Stop on Red Week. (First week of August)

* Mon., Aug. 1 - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day, also known as “Lammas” (in the United Kingdom) and “Lughnassad” (in Ireland). Considered approximate date of First Harvest (third traditional cross-quarter day of the year), approximately between the Midsummer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox. (July 31 Eve to Aug. 1)
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Mon., Aug. 1 (1818) - Anniversary of the birth of America's first professional woman astronomer, Maria Mitchell, who won a gold medal prize presented by the King of Denmark, for her discovery of a comet named in her honor: Miss Mitchell's Comet. (Aug. 1)

* Mon., Aug. 1 - Civic Holiday in certain Canadian provinces. (First Monday in August)

* Tue., Aug. 2, 4:45 p.m. EDT / 20:45 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1158.

* Tue., Aug. 2, Evening - National Night Out. (First Tuesday in August)

* Wed., Aug. 3 - National Watermelon Day. (Aug. 3)

* Thur., Aug. 4, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Venus 3 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Aug. 4, 5:00 a.m. EDT / 9:00 UTC - Star Regulus 1.7 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Aug. 4, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Mercury 0.6 degree north of the Moon; occultation: northern portion of New Zealand, islands in the Pacific Ocean, southern tip of South America.

* Fri., Aug. 5, 5:00 a.m. EDT / 9:00 UTC - Venus 1.1 degrees north of Star Regulus.

* Sat., Aug. 6, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Jupiter 0.2 degree north of the Moon; occultation: eastern portion of Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, northernmost portion of Australia, islands in the Pacific Ocean.

* Sat., Aug. 6 (1945), 8:15:43 a.m. Hiroshima Time (Japan Standard Time) / Aug. 5, 7:15:43 p.m. Eastern War Time / Aug. 5, 23:15:43 UTC - Anniversary of the first war-time use of an Atomic Bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. (Aug. 6)

* Sat., Aug. 6, 2:27 p.m. EDT / 18:27 UTC - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (halfway between the June Solstice and September Equinox: ~Aug. 6 to 7).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Aug. 7 to 13, after Sunset - International Starlight Week. (Week coinciding with annual Perseid Meteor Shower)

* Aug. 7 to 13 - National Health Center Week. (Second week of August)

* Sun., Aug. 7 - Dog Days of Summer: First visible (Sirius rises ahead of Sun at 7 degrees altitude) Heliacal rising of Sirius. (~ Aug. 7)

* Sun., Aug. 7 - National Lighthouse Day. (Aug. 7)

* Sun., Aug. 7 - Friendship Day. (First Sunday in August)

* Sun., Aug. 7, 1:31 a.m. EDT / 5:31 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Tue., Aug. 9 (1945) - Anniversary of the second and last war-time use of an Atomic Bomb over Nagasaki, Japan. (Aug. 9)

* Tue., Aug. 9 - Public Housing Health Centers Day. (Tuesday of National Health Center Week)

* Tue., Aug. 9, 8:00 p.m. EDT / Aug. 10, 0:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 251,196.7 miles / 404,262 kilometers.

* Wed., Aug. 10 (1846) - Founding of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, originally from the bequest of British chemist James Smithson. The founding was spearheaded by Massachusetts Congressman and former U.S. President John Quincy Adams. (Aug. 10)
Samuel Pierpont Langley, second Director of Pittsburgh's Allegheny Observatory, became the third Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, then considered the greatest scientific appointment in the nation.

* Wed., Aug. 10 - Health Care for the Homeless Day. (Wednesday of National Health Center Week)

* Wed., Aug. 10, 2:21 p.m. EDT / 18:21 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Thur., Aug. 11 - Farmworker Health Day. (Thursday of National Health Center Week)

* Aug. 12, 13, 14 weekend and September 9, 10, 11 weekend, 30 minutes before sunset - A Swift Night-Out - CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT to observe bird roosts of Chimney Swifts and Vaux's Swifts.
More on Citizen Science & Chimey Swifts. (Second Weekend August and September: Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

* Fri., Aug. 12 - World Elephant Day. (Aug. 12)

* Fri., Aug. 12 - International Youth Day. (Aug. 12)

* Fri., Aug. 12 - Middle Child's Day. (Aug. 12)

* Fri., Aug. 12, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Perseid Meteor Shower, considered one of the best of the year! (Aug. 11 to 13).
Also see: NASA: Perseid Meteor Shower Has Most Fireballs.

* Sat., Aug. 13 - International Lefthanders Day. (Aug. 13)

* Sat., Aug. 13, after Sunset - International Starry Night. (During Starlight Week & week of annual Perseid Meteor Shower, often a Saturday, coinciding with annual Perseid Meteor Shower)

* Sun., Aug. 14, 3:32 a.m. EDT / 7:32 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Mon., Aug. 15 (1945) - Anniversary of the announcement of the surrender of Japan and end of World War II (Aug. 15).
Victory Over Japan Day (United Kingdom) - Day of initial announcement of Japan surrender ending World War II. (Aug. 15)
Celebrated on September 2 in USA, for formal surrender on Battleship USS Missouri.

* Mon., Aug. 15 - Relaxation Day. (Aug. 15)

* Mon., Aug. 15 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Wed., Aug. 17 - National Thriftshop Day. (Aug. 17)

* Aug. 18 to 21 - Pledge to Fledge ! campaign for birders to share their love and information about the birding hobby with others. (Third weekend in August)

* Thur., Aug.18 - Serendipity Day. (Aug. 18)

* Thur., Aug.18, 5:27 a.m. EDT / 9:27 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Sturgeon Moon.

* Fri., Aug. 19 (1871) - National Aviation Day, anniversary of the 1871 birth of Orville Wright, who with brother Wilbur, is credited with the first powered flight of a man. (Aug. 19)

* Fri., Aug. 19 (1839) - World Photography Day - Anniversary of the release of the first practical photographic process patent. (Aug. 19)

* Fri., Aug. 19 - World Humanitarian Day. (Aug. 19)

* Fri., Aug. 19, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Neptune 1.1 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: East Asia, Alaska, northwestern portion of Canada.

* Sat., Aug. 20 (1920) - National Radio Day. (Aug. 20)
This was the day, in 1920, when The Detroit News-owned amateur radio station 8MK began regular broadcasting; today, this station is all-news WWJ-AM 950.

* Sat., Aug. 20, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Asteroid Pallas at opposition (Pallas visible, with difficulty in a telescope, approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Aug. 21 to 27 - National Book Week Australia. (Last week of August)

* Sun., Aug. 21, 9:00 p.m. EDT / Aug. 22, 1:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 228,074.296 miles / 367,050 kilometers.

* Tue., Aug. 23 (1991) - Internaut Day - Anniversary, in 1991, of the Internet's World Wide Web (www). (Aug. 23)

* Tue., Aug. 23 - Health Unit Coordinator Day. (Aug. 23)

* Tue., Aug. 23 - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. (Aug. 23)

* Wed., Aug. 24 (A.D. 79) - Historic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, in what is now Italy, which resulted in the destruction and burying of Pompeii and Herculaneum, among other settlements. (Aug. 24)

* Wed., Aug. 24, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Mars 1.8 degrees north of Star Antares, with Saturn just to the north of Antares.

* Wed., Aug. 24, 11:41 p.m. EDT / Aug. 25, 3:41 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Aug. 25 to Sept. 2 - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Thur., Aug. 25 - World Doctorates Day. (Aug. 25)

* Thur., Aug. 25 (1916) - Centennial Anniversary (1916: Centennial): Establishment of the United States Department of the Interior's National Park Service. (Aug. 25)

* Thur., Aug. 25 - National Kiss and Make-Up Day. (Aug. 25)

* Thur., Aug. 25, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.2 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, southern portion of the United States, Mexico, northern portion of Central America.

* Fri., Aug. 26 (1920) - Women's Equality Day - Anniversary: Certification of 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, granting women the right to vote. (Aug. 26)

* Fri., Aug. 26 - National Dog Day. (Aug. 26)

* Sat., Aug. 27 (1883) - Historic eruption of the Krakatoa Volcano in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). (Aug. 27)
Loudest sound heard by man, in recorded history.

* Sat., Aug. 27, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Year's closest conjunction of two planets: Venus 0.1 degree north of Jupiter.

* Sun., Aug. 28 (1912) - Anniversary: New Allegheny Observatory building dedicated. (Aug. 28)

* Tue., Aug. 30 - Zodiacal Light dimly visible in northern lattitudes in eastern sky, before morning twilight, for next two weeks. (August, September, October)

* Wed., Aug. 31 - International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD). (Aug. 31)

* Wed., Aug. 31 (1991), 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Anniversary of the closing of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science as a public museum in Pittsburgh, which was dedicated as America's fifth major planetarium on 1939 October 24. (Aug. 31)

* Thur., Sept. 1 (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Aurigid Meteor Shower. (Sept. 1)

* Thur., Sept. 1, 5:03 a.m. EDT / 9:03 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1159.

* Thur., Sept. 1, 5:06:53.8 a.m. EDT / 9:06:53.8 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse during the Annular Eclipse of the Sun, visible in the southern African nation of Tanzania. This Annular Eclipse also visible in the African nations of Gabon, Congo, and Mozambique, as well as the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar. Partial Solar Eclipse visible over vast majority of Africa, except northern-most part of continent, also visible in much of the Indian Ocean and part of the South Atlantic Ocean.
SAFE WAY TO VIEW SOLAR ECLIPSE OR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

* Sept. 1 to 30, Each Evening - Vaux’s Swifts Watch at Chapman School, Portland, Oregon - Public can view a spectacular display of Vaux’s Swift birds as they gather to roost in the school’s chimney. Volunteers from Portland Audubon will be present each night with information about the swifts, binoculars and a spotting scope for viewing. (Sept. 1 to 30)

* Thur., Sept. 1 - Beginning of Meteorological Season of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere (Sept. 1).

* Thu., Sept. 1 - Beginning of Spring Season in Australia. (Sept. 1)

* Thur., Sept. 1 - . Mid-point in Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season. (Sept. 1)

* Thur., Sept. 1 (1914) - Anniversary of the passing of Martha in the Cincinnati Zoo, the last Passenger Pigeon, marking the extinction of the species, due to hunting and habitat destruction. Also see Project Passenger Pigeon. (Sept. 1)

* Thur., Sept. 1 (1939) - Anniversary of the beginning of World War II. (Sept. 1)

* Thur., Sept. 1 (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Aurigid Meteor Shower. (Sept. 1)

* Thur., Sept. 1, 5:03 a.m. EDT / 9:03 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1159.

* Thur., Sept. 1, 5:06:53.8 a.m. EDT / 9:06:53.8 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse during the Annular Eclipse of the Sun, visible in the southern African nation of Tanzania. This Annular Eclipse also visible in the African nations of Gabon, Congo, and Mozambique, as well as the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar. Partial Solar Eclipse visible over vast majority of Africa, except northern-most part of continent, also visible in much of the Indian Ocean and part of the South Atlantic Ocean.
SAFE WAY TO VIEW SOLAR ECLIPSE OR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

* Sept. 2 to 14 (1752) - Anniversary of adoption, by the British Empire including the American Colonies, of the Gregorian Calendar Reform: the Julian Calendar day of Wednesday, 1752 September 2 O.S. (Old System) was followed by the first day of the Gregorian Calendar, Thursday, 1752 September 14 N.S. (New System). The original Gregorian Calendar Reform occurred when Thursday,1582 October 4 O.S. was followed by Friday, 1582 October 15 N.S.. Gregorian Calendar enacted by the Roman Catholic Church to bring the calendar back into synchronization with the seasons. (Sept. 2 to 14)

* Fri., Sept. 2 (1945) - Anniversary: Victory Over Japan Day / V-J Day (USA) - Day Japan formally surrendered, on Battleship USS Missouri, ending World War II. (Sept. 2)
Celebrated on August 15 in the United Kingdom, for initial announcement of Japan's surrender. (Sept. 2)

* Fri., Sept. 2, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Neptune at opposition (Neptune visible in telescope, approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Fri., Sept. 2, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Jupiter 0.4 degree south of the Moon; occultation: southwestern portion of the United States, Central America, northern portion of South America, Caribbean Sea, eastern portion of Russia.

* Sat., Sept. 3 - International Vulture Awareness Day - Highlights an ecologically vital group of birds that face a range of threats, including possible extinction for certain species. (First Saturday in September)

* Sat., Sept. 3 (1783) - Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which formally ended St. Augustine, Floridathe American Revolutionary War. (Sept. 3)

* Sat., Sept. 3, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Venus 1.1 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: central portion of Russia, northern portion of Mongolia.

* Sun., Sept. 4 (1882) - First practical, outdoor electric lighting: Thomas Elva Edison's Direct Current (DC) system in New York City. (Sept. 4)

* Sept. 5 to 9 - National Payroll Week. (First week of September)

* Mon., Sept. 5 - Labor Day. (Federal Holiday: U.S.A. - First Monday in September)

* Tue., Sept. 6, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 251,689.5083 miles / 405,055 kilometers.

* Tue., Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m. EDT / 23:30 UTC - 50th Anniversary of world premiere (U.S. premiere on Sept. 8) of influential, science-fiction television series, Star Trek, on the CTV television network in Canada. (Sept. 6)

* Thur., Sept. 8 - Opening of 33-day launch window for launch of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission: Link 1 *** Link 2 *** Link 3.

* Thur., Sept. 8 - International Literacy Day. (Sept. 8)

* Thur., Sept. 8 (1565) - Founding of the oldest, continuously-occupied settlement in the continental United States: St. Augustine, Florida. (Sept. 8)

* Thur., Sept. 8, 8:30 p.m. EDT / Sept. 9, 0:30 UTC - 50th Anniversary of U.S. premiere (world premiere on Sept. 6) of influential, science-fiction television series, Star Trek, on the NBC television network. (Sept. 8)

* Aug. 12, 13, 14 weekend and September 9, 10, 11 weekend, 30 minutes before sunset - A Swift Night-Out - CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT to observe bird roosts of Chimney Swifts and Vaux's Swifts.
More on Citizen Science & Chimey Swifts. (Second Weekend August and September: Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

* Fri., Sept. 9, 7:49 a.m. EDT / 11:49 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Sat., Sept. 10 - Traditional peak in Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season. (Sept. 10)

* Sat., Sept. 10 - Swap Ideas Day. (Sept. 10)

* Sat., Sept. 10 - World Suicide Prevention Day. (Sept. 10)

* Sat., Sept. 10 - World First Aid Day. (Second Saturday in September)

* Sat., Sept. 10 - National TV Dinner Day. (Sept. 10)

* Sun., Sept. 11 (2001) - Patriot Day - In commemoration of the 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania in 2001. (Sept. 11)
Also 9 / 11 National Day of Service. (Sept. 11)

* Sun., Sept. 11 - Solar Sidewalk Sun-Day - Annual Sidewalk Astronomers public solar observing event, scheduled each year on the Sunday closest to John Dobson's birthday: Sept. 14. (Sunday closest to Sept. 14)

* Sun., Sept. 11 - Grandparents Day. (First Sunday after Labor Day)

* Mon., Sept. 12, 8:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 13, 0:00 UTC - Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., Sept. 14 (1814) - Anniversary of the song, The Star Spangled Banner, which became America's National Anthem in 1931. (Sept.14)

* Thur., Sept. 15 - National Tell a Police Officer "Thank You!" Day. (Sept. 15)

* Fri., Sept. 16 - National POW / MIA Recognition Day. (Third Friday in September)

* Fri., Sept. 16 - Park(ing) Day is an annual worldwide event where artists, designers and citizens transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks. (Third Friday in September)

* Fri., Sept. 16, 2:54:16.8 p.m. EDT / 18:54:16.8 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for the Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon, quite dim lunar eclipse visible in most of the world, but not visible in most of the Americas (but visible at Moon-rise in extreme eastern section of Brazil).

* Fri., Sept. 16, 3:05 p.m. EDT / 19:05 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Harvest Moon.
Some people consider this Full Moon a so-called "Super Moon."

* Fri., Sept. 16, Evening - Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival - A popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people, dating back over 3,000 years to Moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty. It is celebrated on the date close to the Autumnal Equinox of the Solar Calendar, as well as close to the Harvest Moon. (Within 15 days of the Autumnal Equinox, on the night of the Full Moon between early September to early October of the Gregorian Calendar)

* Sept. 17 to 23 - Constitution Week promotes study and education about the U.S. Constitution which was originally adopted by the American Congress of the Confederation on September 17, 1787. (Sept. 17 to 23)

* Sat., Sept. 17 - Constitution Day / Citizenship Day - Commemorates the day of signing of the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. (Sept. 17)

* Sept 17 - American Graduate Day. (First Saturday in October)

* Sat., Sept. 17 - Software Freedom Day. (Third Saturday in September)

* Sept. 18 to 24 - Sea Otter Awareness Week. (Last full week in September)

* Sept. 18 to 24 - International Book Week. (Third week of September)

* Sept. 18 to 24 - Child Passenger Safety Week. (Third week of September)

* Sun., Sept. 18 (1947) - Formation of the United States Air Force, as part of the National Security Act of 1947, which also included formation of the Department of Defense (DOD), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Council, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Sept. 18)

* Sun., Sept. 18, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 224,871.749 miles / 361,896 kilometers.

* Sept. 19 to 25 - Anniversary of the enactment of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 - Pollution Prevention Week. (Third full week of September, beginning on Monday)

* Mon., Sept. 19 - 'No Text on Board' Pledge Day (TXTNG & DRIVNG...IT CAN WAIT). (Sept. 19)

* Sept. 20, 21, 22 - National Postal Customer Council Week. (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday of third week of September)

* Wed., Sept. 21 - Pittsburgh Day of Giving MAKE-UP DAY. (Due to computer problems during the May 3 annual, national Give Local America event)

* Wed., Sept. 21 - World Alzheimer's Day. (Sept. 21)

* Wed., Sept. 21 - International Day of Peace. (Sept. 21)

* Wed., Sept. 21 - World Gratitude Day. (Sept. 21)

* Wed., Sept. 21, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.2 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Middle East, eastern portion of Africa, portions of South Asia.

* Thur., Sept. 22 - World Car-Free Day. (Sept. 22)

* Thur., Sept. 22 - Falls Prevention Awareness Day. (First day of Fall: ~Sept. 22-23)

* Thur., Sept. 22, 10:21 a.m. EDT / 14:21 UTC - Autumnal Equinox; beginning of Season of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
Also see: Harvest Moon.

* Fri., Sept. 23 (1846) - Neptune first planet discovered by mathematical prediction. (Sept. 23)

* Fri., Sept. 23, 5:56 a.m. EDT / 9:56 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Sat., Sept. 24 - Museum Day Live! - Free admission to participating museums, with Museum Day ticket from the Smithsonian Magazine web site. (Fourth Saturday in September)

* Sat., Sept. 24 - National Public Lands Day. (Last Saturday in September)

* Sat., Sept. 24 - National Seat Check Saturday. (Saturday of Child Passenger Safety Week)

* Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 - Banned Books Week (BBW) - An annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. (Last week of September)

* Sun., Sept. 25 (1676) - Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), forerunner of today's Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), first established. (Sept. 25)

* Sun., Sept. 25 - Equilux - The actual day with equal hours and minutes of the Sun above the horizon, and equal hours and minutes of the Sun below the horizon. Occurs twice each year, approximately 3-to-4 days before the Vernal Equinox and 3-to-4 days after the Autumnal Equinox. (March 16, September 25)

* Sun., Sept. 25 - World Heart Day. (Last Sunday in September)

* Sun., Sept. 25 - Gold Star Mother's Day. (Last Sunday in September)

* Sun., Sept. 25 - National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. (Sept. 25)

* Sept. 26 to Oct. 2 - Diaper Need Awareness Week. (Last week of September)

* Mon., Sept. 26 (1774) - Birth of pioneer nurseryman and conservationist Johnny Appleseed, who in his early years lived on Grant's Hill (near the present-day site of the 64-story U.S. Steel Building) in Downtown Pittsburgh. (Sept. 26)

* Mon., Sept. 26, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Jupiter at conjunction with the Sun (Jupiter not visible, even with a telescope).

* Mon., Sept. 26, 9:00 to 10:30 p.m. EDT / Sept. 27, 1:00 to 2:30 UTC - First 2016 U.S. Presidential Debate to be heard and seen on several radio (Including - Networks: ABC, CBS. NPR) and television (Including - Networks: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS; Cable News Channels: C-SPAN, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC) networks, in addition to the World Wide Web of the Internet. Debaters: Former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Senator Hillary Rodam Clinton (Democratic Party Nominee): businessman and real estate tycoon Donald J. Trump (Republican Party Nominee). (Late September of U.S. Presidential Election Years)

* Tue., Sept. 27 - National Voter Registration Day. (Third or fourth Tuesday in September)

* Tue., Sept. 27, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Star Regulus 1.7 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., Sept. 28 - The Right to Know Day. (Sept. 28)

* Wed., Sept. 28 - World Rabies Day, marked on the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur. (Sept. 28)

* Wed., Sept. 28 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Thur., Sept. 29 - Galactic Tick Day - Celebrates our Solar System's travel around the Milky Way Galaxy; it takes 230 million years for our Solar System to make one revolution around the Milky Way. The Galactic Tick Day occurs once every 1.7361 years, marking each 1 centi-arc-second of travel in this trek.

* Thur., Sept. 29 - Zodiacal Light dimly visible in northern lattitudes in eastern sky, before morning twilight, for next two weeks. (September, October)

* Thur., Sept. 29 - World Maritime Day. (Last Thursday in September)
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science displayed the largest Mercator's Projection Map of the World, originally produced by the U.S. Maritime Commission for display at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.

* Thur., Sept. 29, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Mercury 0.7 degree north of the Moon; occultation: eastern portion of South America, southern tip of South Africa, portions of Antarctica.

* Fri., Sept. 30 - Last day of U.S.A. Federal Fiscal Year. (Sept. 30)

* Fri., Sept. 30 - Last day of calendar year Third Quarter. (Sept. 30)

* Fri., Sept. 30 - National PrepareAthon ! Day - Day to emphasize preparation for disasters and emergencies. (Sept. 30)

* Fri., Sept. 30 (1452) - Anniversary of the first publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book published using movable type in the Western World. (Sept. 30)

* Fri., Sept. 30, 8:11 p.m. EDT / Oct. 1, 0:11 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1160.

* Sept. 26 to Oct. 2 - Diaper Need Awareness Week. (Last week of September)

* Fri., Sept. 30, 8:11 p.m. EDT / Oct. 1, 0:11 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1160.
This second New Moon in one month, the month of September, is also known as a Black Moon.

* October through December - The Rut, White-Tailed Deer Mating Season - Vehicle drivers should be on the look-out for deer running across streets and highways. (Oct. through Dec.)

* Sat., Oct. 1 - Median date for first Fall frost for locations in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland, as well as northern counties in Pennsylvania. (Oct. 1)

* Sat., Oct. 1 - First day of U.S.A. Federal Fiscal Year. (Oct. 1)

* Sat., Oct. 1 - First day of calendar year Fourth Quarter. (Oct. 1)

* Sat., Oct. 1, Sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 7:01 p.m. EDT / 23:01 UTC) - Islamic New Year ( Muharram): Based on lunar calendar, but the New Moon must be observable ( astronomical considerations).

* Oct. 2 to 8 - National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. (First week of October)

* Oct. 2 to 8 - Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) / Mental Health Awareness Week. (First Full Week of October)

* Oct. 2 to 16 - Great World Wide Star Count.

* Sun., Oct. 2 (1925) - First test of a working Television receiver. (Oct. 2)

* Sun., Oct. 2, Sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC) - Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year: Link 1 *** Link 2.
Days in the Hebrew calendar begin at sunset. Although the Jewish calendar is based on the Lunar Cycle, so that the first day of each month originally began with the first sighting of a New Moon, since the Fourth Century it has been arranged so that Rosh Hashanah never falls on a Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday (although, by the Gregorian Calendar, it may look like the holiday begins on a Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday, by the Hebrew Calendar the next day actually begins at sunset).

* May 9 to 15 / Oct. 3 to 9 - International Astronomy Week (Begins on the Monday preceding the Saturday designated as Astronomy Day).

* Mon., Oct. 3 - U.S. Supreme Court begins new term. (First Monday in October)

* Mon., Oct. 3, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Venus 5 degrees south of the Moon.

* Oct. 4 to 10 - World Space Week. (Oct. 4 to 10)

* Oct. 4 to 15 (1582) - Anniversary of original Gregorian Calendar Reform: the Julian Calendar day Thursday,1582 October 4 O.S. (Old System) was followed by the first day of the Gregorian Calendar, Friday, 1582 October 15 N.S. (New System). The British Empire, including the American Colonies, adopted the Gregorian Calendar when Wednesday, 1752 September 2 O.S. was followed by Thursday, 1752 September 14. N.S. Gregorian Calendar enacted by Roman Catholic Church to bring the calendar back into synchronization with the seasons. (Oct. 4 to 15)

* Tue., Oct. 4 (1957) - Anniversary of the beginning of the Space Age with the first successful launch and orbit of an artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the country today known by their traditional name, Russia). (Oct. 4)

* Tue., Oct. 4 - News Engagement Day. (First Tuesday in October)

* Tue., Oct. 4, 9:00 to 10:30 p.m. EDT / Oct. 5, 1:00 to 2:30 UTC - 2016 U.S. Vice Presidential Debate to be heard and seen on several radio (Including - Networks: ABC, CBS. NPR) and television (Including - Networks: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS; Cable News Channels: C-SPAN, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC) networks, in addition to the World Wide Web of the Internet. Debaters: U.S. Senator (Virginia) Tim Kaine (Democratic Party Nominee): Indiana Governor Mike Pence (Republican Party Nominee). (Early October of U.S. Presidential Election Years)

* Tue., Oct. 4, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 252,336.3557 miles / 406,096 kilometers.

* Wed., Oct. 5 - World Teachers' Day. (Oct. 5)

* Wed., Oct. 5 - International Walk-to-School Day. (First Wednesday in October)

* Thur., Oct. 6 - National Depression Screening Day® (NDSD) . (During Mental Illness Awareness Week)

* Fri., Oct. 7, 10:00 p.m. EDT / Oct. 8, 2:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of October Draconid Meteor Shower. (Oct. 7 to 8)

* Fri., Oct. 7 - Manufacturing Day℠. (First week of October)

* Sat., May 14 / Sat., Oct. 8 - International Astronomy Day. [Saturdays in Spring (Saturday in Astronomy Week) and Autumn]:
Link 1 *** Link 2

* Sat., Oct. 8, Evening - International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN).
More info.

* Sat., Oct. 8 - Cassette Store Day. (Oct. 8)

* Oct. 9 to 15 - Earth Science Week. (Second full week of October)

* Oct. 9 to 15 - National Metric Week. [Week containing Oct. 10 (10-10)]

* Oct. 9 to 15 - Teen Read Week. (Second or Third week of October)

* Oct. 9 to 15 - Fire Prevention Week. (Week, from Sunday to Saturday, which includes October 9)

* Sun., Oct. 9 - Leif Erikson Day honors the Norse explorer who brought the first Europeans known to have set foot in North America. (Oct. 9)

* Sun., Oct. 9 - Fire Prevention Day. (Oct. 9)

* Sun., Oct. 9 - Clergy Appreciation National Day of Honoring. (Second Sunday in October)

* Sun., Oct. 9, 12:33 a.m. EDT / 4:33 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Sun., Oct. 9, 9:00 to 10:30 p.m. EDT / Oct. 10, 1:00 to 2:30 UTC - Second 2016 U.S. Presidential Debate to be heard and seen on several radio (Including - Networks: ABC, CBS. NPR) and television (Including - Networks: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS; Cable News Channels: C-SPAN, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC) networks, in addition to the World Wide Web of the Internet. Debaters: Former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Senator Hillary Rodam Clinton (Democratic Party Nominee): businessman and real estate tycoon Donald J. Trump (Republican Party Nominee). (Early October of U.S. Presidential Election Years)

* Mon., Oct. 10 - Chistopher Columbus Day Observed: Federal Holiday in U.S.A. (Second Monday in October).
* Mon., Oct. 10 - Indigenous Peoples' Day - Observed by some communities as an alternative to Christopher Columbus Day. (Second Monday in October)

* Mon., Oct. 10 - Thanksgiving Day: Federal Holiday in Canada. (Second Monday in October)

* Mon., Oct. 10 - National Metric Day. (10-10)

* Mon., Oct. 10 - World Mental Health Day. (Oct. 10)

* Tue., Oct. 11 - International Day of the Girl. (Oct. 11)

* Tue., Oct. 11, 12:00 a.m. EDT / 4:00 UTC - Close conjunction of the planets Mercury and Jupiter - If you have a very good eastern horizon, you may want to look for the close conjunction of the planets Mercury and Jupiter early Tuesday Morning 2016 October 11, visible to Northern Hemisphere viewers about an hour before sunrise. The actual conjunction occurs while the planets are below the horizon, at 12:00 Midnight Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / 4:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), when Mercury will be only 0.9 degree north of Jupiter.

* Tue., Oct. 11, Sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 6:45 p.m. EDT / 22:45 UTC) - Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Hebrew faith. It occurs each year on the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, which is 9 days after the first day of Rosh Hashanah. The Jewish calendar is based on the Lunar Cycle, so that the first day of each month originally began with the first sighting of a New Moon.

* Wed., Oct. 12 - Chistopher Columbus Day. (Oct. 12)

* Thur., Oct. 13 (1775) - Anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Navy, originally the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. (Oct. 13)

* Thur., Oct. 13, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Neptune 1.2 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: eastern-most part of Russia's Siberia, Alaska, northwestern section of Canada.

* Fri., Oct. 14 (1947) - Chuck Yeager officially broke the sound barrier. (Oct. 14)
In 2012, At Age 89, Chuck Yeager AGAIN Breaks Sound Barrier.

* Fri., Oct. 14 - World Standards Day. (Oct. 14)

* Fri., Oct. 14 - National Fossil Day. (Oct. 14)

* Fri., Oct. 14 - World Egg Day. (Second Friday in October)
Also see: Embryology "Chick Hatching" Exhibit at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

* Sat., Oct. 15 - Equilux when considering Civil Twilight (Dawn before sunrise and Dusk after sunset) - When considering Civil Twilight, the day when daylight and darkness, both, have the same length of hours and minutes. Occurs twice each year, approximately 23 days before the Vernal Equinox and 23 days after the Autumnal Equinox. (Feb. 25-26, Oct. 15)

* Sat., Oct. 15 - Global Handwashing Day. (Oct. 15)

* Sat., Oct. 15 - Sweetest Day. (Third Saturday in October)

* Sat., Oct. 15, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Uranus at opposition (Uranus visible, with difficulty with a telescope, approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Oct. 16 to 22 - National Chemistry Week (NCW).

* Oct. 16 to 22 - National Friends of Libraries Week.

* Oct. 16 to 22 - Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week. (Third full week of October)

* Oct. 16 to 22 - National Teen Driver Safety Week. (Third full week of October)

* Sun., Oct. 16 - National Dictionary Day. (Oct. 16)

* Sun., Oct. 16 - World Food Day / Food Engineer Day. (Oct. 16)

* Sun., Oct. 16, 12:23 a.m. EDT / 4:23 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Hunter's Moon.

* Sun., Oct. 16, Sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 6:38 p.m. EDT / 22:38 UTC) - Sukkot - Feast of Tabernacles of the Jewish faith.
Days in the Hebrew calendar begin at sunset. The Jewish calendar is based on the Lunar Cycle, so that the first day of each month originally began with the first sighting of a New Moon.

* Sun., Oct. 16, 8:00 p.m. EDT / Oct. 17, 0:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 222,364.5162 miles / 357,861 kilometers.
Due to close proximity to time of Full Moon, large tides on ocean coastal areas predicted..

* Oct. 17 to 21 - Solar Week. (Mid-to-Late March, Mid-to-Late October)

* Oct. 17 to 21 - National School Bus Safety Week. (Third Week in October)

* Oct. 17 to 23 - National Estate Planning Awareness Week. (Sept. or Oct.)

* Mon., Oct. 17 (1919) - Amateur radio station 8XK in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, indirect predecessor to KDKA-AM Pittsburgh (world's first commercial radio station in 1920), started broadcasting in Pittsburgh region, after World War I restrictions on amateur radio were lifted by the Federal Government. (Oct. 17)

* Mon., Oct. 17 - National Boss Day. (Oct. 16, unless date falls on weekend, then closest working day to Oct. 16)

* Wed., Oct. 19 - Global Ethics Day announced by the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. (Mid-Oct.)

* Wed., Oct. 19, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.3 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Mexico, Central America, southeastern portion of Canada, eastern portion of United States, southern portion of Europe, northwestern portion of Africa.

* Wed., Oct. 19, 9:00 to 10:30 p.m. EDT / Oct. 20, 1:00 to 2:30 UTC - Third 2016 U.S. Presidential Debate to be heard and seen on several radio (Including - Networks: ABC, CBS. NPR) and television (Including - Networks: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS; Cable News Channels: C-SPAN, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC) networks, in addition to the World Wide Web of the Internet. Debaters: Former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Senator Hillary Rodam Clinton (Democratic Party Nominee): businessman and real estate tycoon Donald J. Trump (Republican Party Nominee). (Mid-October of U.S. Presidential Election Years)

* Thur., Oct. 20 - Average end of the Growing Season for the Pittsburgh Quad-State Region (Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, Northern West Virginia, and Western Maryland, except at the higher elevations in the Allegheny Mountains). (Oct. 20)

* Thur., Oct. 20 - Get Smart About Credit Day. (Third Thursday in October)

* Thur., Oct. 20, 10:15 a.m. Prevailing Local Time - The Great Shake-Out Worldwide Earthquake Drill. (Thur. in Mid-Oct.)

* Fri., Oct. 21, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Orionid Meteor Shower - remnants from Halley's Comet. (Oct. 21)
"Two-Timers," visitors to Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium who saw Halley's Comet in both 1910 and in 1985-1986.

* Fri., Oct. 21, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC - Dwarf Planet Ceres at opposition (Ceres visible, with difficulty with a telescope, approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Sat., Oct. 22, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Prevailing Local Time - National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (Last Saturday in September or October, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Prevailing Local Time)

* Sat., Oct. 22, 4:04 p.m. EDT / 20:04 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Oct. 23 to 29 - Open Access Week. (Last full week of October)

* Oct. 23 to 29 - National Legal Pro-Bono Celebration Week. (Last week of October)

* Sun., Oct. 23 - Day of San Juan - Swallows leave Mission San Juan Capistano, California. (Oct. 23)

* Sun., Oct. 23 (2001) - IPOD Day. (Oct. 23)

* Sun., Oct. 23 - Mother-in-Law Day. (Fourth Sunday in October)

* Sun., Oct. 23, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time (Daylight Saving Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME CONTINUES - Change in Federal law, thus that return to Standard Time occurs 2:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time (which becomes 1:00 a.m. Standard Time) on the first Sunday in November (previously, last Sunday in October, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time).
Also see:
Some States to Abandon Daylight Saving Time ?
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Mon., Oct. 24 (1945) - Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. (Oct. 24)

* Mon., Oct. 24 - World Polio Day.

* Mon., Oct. 24 (1939), 8:30 p.m. EST / Oct. 25, 1:30 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1939) - Anniversary of the dedication of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. (Oct. 24)
The original Buhl Planetarium included two historic astronomical instruments:
1) Zeiss II Planetarium Projector, the oldest operable major planetarium projector in the world ! (presently on display as a non-working exhibit).
2) Rather unique 10-inch Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope, which marks its 75th anniversary next month on November 19.

* Oct. 25 to 31 - National Bat Week. (Week that includes Halloween Day)

* Tue., Oct. 25 (1939), 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1939) - Anniversary of the public opening of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. (Oct. 25)
The original Buhl Planetarium included two historic astronomical instruments:
1) Zeiss II Planetarium Projector, the oldest operable major planetarium projector in the world ! (presently on display as a non-working exhibit).
2) Rather unique 10-inch Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope, which marks its 75th anniversary next month on November 19.

* Tue., Oct. 25, 12:53 p.m. EDT / 16:53 UTC - Star Regulus 1.6 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Oct. 27 - Navy Day, the date of the birthday of the late U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (1897 to 1898), wrote the book, The Naval War of 1812 (1882), and as President built-up the U.S. Navy as a world-class fighting fleet. (Oct. 27 is recognized as Navy Day in the U.S. Flag Code, for the display of the U.S. flag.). (Oct. 27)

* Thur., Oct. 27, 12:00 p.m. EDT / 16:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Oct. 28 & 29 (1929) - Black Monday (Oct. 28) & Black Tuesday (Oct. 29) Wall Street Stock Market Crash of 1929. (Oct. 28 & 29)

* Fri., Oct. 28, 9:42 a.m. EDT / 13:42 UTC - Jupiter 1.4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Oct. 29 - Mars at perihelion (closest point to the Sun, in Mars' orbit around the Sun).

* Sat., Oct. 29 (1969) - Anniversary of the connection of the first two nodes of the ARPANET, which led to the formation of the Internet. (Oct. 29)

* Sat., Oct. 29 - National Cat Day. (Oct. 29)

* Sun., Oct. 30, 1:38 p.m. EDT / 17:38 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1161.
This second New Moon in one month, the month of October for Coordinated Universal Time and time zones further east, is also known as a Black Moon.

* Sun., Oct. 30, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Saturn 3 degrees north of Venus, and close to star Antares, about 45 minutes after sunset in the southwestern sky.

* Sun., Oct. 30 (1938), 8:00 p.m. EST / Oct. 25, 1:00 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1938) - Anniversary of the CBS Radio Network broadcast of Orson Welles' radio adaptation of the H.G. Wells science-fiction novel, The War of the Worlds, which caused a panic among some American listeners who thought the Earth was actually being invaded by beings from the Planet Mars. (Oct. 30)

* Oct. 31 / Nov. 1 / Nov. 2 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Samhain or "All-Hallowsmas", better known as Halloween (Oct. 31 - "All Hallows Eve"), All-Saints Day (Nov. 1), All-Souls Day (Nov. 2) (fourth and last traditional cross-quarter day of year).

* Mon., Oct. 31 - Reformation Day. (Oct. 31)

* Mon., Oct. 31 - Venus at aphelion (most distant point from the Sun, in Venus' orbit around the Sun).

* Mon., Oct. 31, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 252,688.0518 miles / 406,662 kilometers.

* Sun., Nov. 6, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time (Daylight Saving Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS - Change in Federal law thus that return to Standard Time occurs 2:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time (which becomes 1:00 a.m. Standard Time). (First Sunday in November, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time)
Some States to Abandon Daylight Saving Time ?
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Sun., Nov. 6, 7:32 a.m. EST / 12:32 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day. (fourth and last actual cross-quarter day of the year: ~Nov. 6-7)
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Oct. 31 / Nov. 1 / Nov. 2 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Samhain or "All-Hallowsmas", better known as Halloween (Oct. 31 - "All Hallows Eve"), All-Saints Day (Nov. 1), All-Souls Day (Nov. 2) (fourth and last traditional cross-quarter day of year).

* Nov. 1 to April 30 - Use of life jackets by every person on a small boat (less than 16 feet in length), during cold-weather months, is mandatory.

* Wed., Nov. 2, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Saturn 4 degrees south of the Moon, with Venus 6 degrees to the right of Saturn - view in southwestern sky after sunset.

* Wed., Nov. 2 (1920), 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1920) - Anniversary - First broadcast of the world's first commercial radio broadcast station: KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh (Nov. 2).
Also see KDKA Historic Firsts (scroll-down page for Historic Firsts).

* Thur., Nov. 3, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Venus 7 degrees south of the Moon - view in southwestern sky after sunset.

* Fri., Nov. 4 - National Stress Awareness Day. (Nov. 4)

* Fri., Nov. 4, 1:00 p.m. EST (Note: Daylight Saving Time was not observed in November until 2007, long after Buhl Planetarium closed as public museum in 1991) / 18:00 UTC - First Friday in November was annual opening of very popular Miniature Railroad and Village (beginning of "Railroad Season") exhibit at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. (First Friday in November)

* Sat., Nov. 5 (1605) - Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated in England for the failed plot to blow-up Britain's Houses of Parliament and kill King James I (originally James VI of Scotland) in 1605. Industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie considered this event so important, that several of the public libraries he constructed were dedicated on November 5 ! (Nov. 5).

* Sat., Nov. 5, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of South Taurid Meteor Shower. (Nov. 5)

* Sun., Nov. 6, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time (Daylight Saving Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS - Change in Federal law thus that return to Standard Time occurs 2:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time (which becomes 1:00 a.m. Standard Time). (First Sunday in November, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Local Time)
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Sun., Nov. 6, 7:32 a.m. EST / 12:32 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day. (fourth and last actual cross-quarter day of the year: ~Nov. 6 to 7)
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Mon., Nov. 7 - Christmas Mailing Deadline for U.S. Post Office Retail Ground Mail Service to overseas U.S. Military destinations. (Nov. 7)

* Mon., Nov. 7, 2:51 p.m. EST / 19:51 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Tue., Nov. 8 - International Day of Radiology: X-Rays discovered in 1895. Although several scientists, including Nikola Tesla, observed and studied this unusual radiation in the last part of the nineteenth century, credit for discovery is usually given to German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen because he was the first to systematically study the phenomenon. (Nov. 8)

* Tue., Nov. 8 - General Election Day - Federal Offices including President and Vice President - Pennsylvania Election Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 UTC to Nov. 4, 1:00 UTC. (First Tuesday after the first Monday of November)

* Wed., Nov. 9 (1989) - Fall of the Berlin Wall, the beginning of the permanent fall of Communist governments in Eastern Europe. (Nov. 9)

* Wed., Nov. 9, 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - Neptune 1.0 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northern portion of Africa, Eastern Europe, western section of Asia.

* Thur., Nov. 10 (1775) - United States Marine Corps (USMC) established. (Nov. 10)

* Nov. 11 to 13 - National Donor Sabbath - Three-day observance, to increase awareness of life-saving donations, seeks to include the days of worship for major religions practiced in the United States. (Friday through Sunday, two weekends before Thanksgiving Day)

* Fri., Nov. 11 - Veterans' Day / Armistice Day. (Nov. 11 - U.S.A.; also, when Nov. 11 falls on Saturday or Sunday, the Observed Government Holiday falls on the weekday before or after Nov. 11)

* Fri., Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day. (Nov. 11 - Canada)

* Fri., Nov. 11 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Sat., Nov. 12 - Carl Sagan Day. (Saturday closest to Nov. 9, birthday of Carl Sagan)

* Sat., Nov. 12 - Beginning of Project FeederWatch, annual Citizen Science Project: Winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. Allows the general public to help scientists track broadscale movements of Winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance. (Second Saturday in November)

* Sat., Nov. 12, 12:00 Midnight EST / 5:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of North Taurid Meteor Shower. (Nov. 12)

* Nov. 13 to 19 - National Rural Health Week. (MId-November)

* Nov. 13 to 19 - Winter Safety Awareness Week: Ohio. (Mid-November)

* Sun., Nov. 13 - World Kindness Day. (Nov. 13)

* Nov. 14 to 18 - Winter Safety Awareness Week. (Mid-November)

* Nov. 14 to 18 - American Education Week. (Mid-November)

* Nov. 14 to 18 - National Career Development Week. (Mid-November)

* Mon., Nov. 14 - World Diabetes Day. (Nov.14)

* Mon., Nov. 14, 6:00 a.m. EST / 11:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 221,524.4224 miles / 356,509 kilometers.
Large tides are predicted for ocean coasts.

* Mon., Nov. 14, 8:52 a.m. EST / 13:52 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon ( Beaver Moon).
Due to lunar perigee 3 hours earlier, this so-called "Super-Moon" will be the largest visible Full Moon in 2016.

* Tue., Nov. 15 - Parents Day of American Education Week. (Tuesday of American Education Week)

* Tue., Nov. 15 - National Philanthropy Day®. (Mid-November)

* Tue., Nov. 15 - America Recycles Day. (Nov. 15)

* Tue., Nov. 15 - Beginning of Orthodox Advent - Orthodox churches use the Julian Calendar and celebrate Advent for 40 days. (Nov. 15)

* Tue., Nov. 15, 12:00 Noon EST / 17:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.4 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Middle East, central portion of Asia, Japan.

* Wed., Nov. 16 - GIS Day, a day to showcase the benefits of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). (Third Wednesday of November)

* Wed., Nov. 16 - Education Support Professionals Day of American Education Week. (Wednesday of American Education Week)

* Wed., Nov. 16 - World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day. (Third Wednesday in November)

* Wed., Nov. 16 - National Career Development Day. (Mid-November)

* Wed., Nov. 16 - International Day for Tolerance. (Nov. 16)

* Thur., Nov. 17 - National Rural Health Day. (Thursday of National Rural Health Week)

* Thur., Nov. 17 - "Great American Smokeout," to assist people to quit smoking. (Third Thursday in November)

* Thur., Nov. 17 - LUNG FORCE Giving Day. (Nov. 17)

* Thur., Nov. 17 - Children's Grief Awareness Day. (Nov. 17 to 19)

* Thur., Nov. 17, 6:00 a.m. EST / 11:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Leonid Meteor Shower. (Nov. 17 to 18)

* Fri., Nov. 18 - Substitute Educators Day of American Education Week. (Friday of American Education Week)

* Fri., Nov. 18 - African Statistics Day (ASD). (Nov. 18)

* Fri., Nov. 18 - World Vasectomy Day. (Mid-November)

* Fri., Nov. 18, 12:00 Noon Local Standard Time (1883) - Anniversary of the establishment of standard time zones by American and Canadian railroads, when Pittsburgh's Allegheny Observatory sent a time-signal over the telegraph, to coordinate all railroad station clocks. (Nov. 18)
Also see history of new Allegheny Observatory building.

* Fri., Nov. 18, Evening - Pittsburgh Golden Triangle Light-Up Night, beginning of holiday shopping season; includes evening of downtown buildings lit-up and fireworks. (Friday evening before Thanksgiving Day)

* Sat., Nov. 19 (1941) - 75th Anniversary: Dedication of The People's Observatory on the third floor of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, with the rather unique 10-inch Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope. (Nov. 19)

* Sat., Nov. 19 (1958) - Anniversary: Federal formation of the National Radio Quiet Zone, providing for radio research at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. (Nov. 19)

* Sat., Nov. 19 (1919) - Anniversary: Pittsburgh experimental radio station 8ZAE, which became KQV-AM 1410, now Pittsburgh's all-news radio station - History:
Link 1 *** Link 2. (Nov. 19)

* Sat., Nov. 19 (1863) - Anniversary: Gettysburg Address presented by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln for the Consecration of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War. (Nov. 19)
See also Civil War Museum of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall.

* Sat., Nov. 19 - International Games Day @ Your Library. (Third Saturday in November)

* Sat., Nov. 19 - National Adoption Day. (Traditionally, Saturday before Thanksgiving Day)

* Nov. 20 to 26 - Financial Planning Week. (Last week of November)

* Sun., Nov. 20 - Universal Children's Day. (Nov. 20)

* Mon., Nov. 21, 3:33 a.m. EST / 8:33 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Mon., Nov. 21, 6:00 a.m. EST / 11:00 UTC - Star Regulus 1.3 degrees north of the Moon.

* Tue., Nov. 22 (1963), 12:30 p.m. CST (1:30 p.m. EST) / 18:30 UTC - Anniversary of the Assassination of John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States of America, in Dallas' Dealey Plaza, the man who sent us to the Moon. (Nov. 22)

* Nov. 24 to 28 - Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend. (Thanksgiving Day through following Monday)
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science scheduled expanded public hours during this holiday weekend --
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Friday - Observatory to 10:30 p.m.) EST
Sunday: 12:00 Noon to 9:30 p.m. EST
Monday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST
Thanksgiving Day (in earlier years, December 1) was the beginning of the classic, "Star of Bethlehem" planetarium sky drama at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. This traditional, holiday sky show, which provides possible, astronomical explanations for the star that guided the Three Wisemen to the Christ child, has been shown at Buhl Planetarium every Christmas season since 1939, and it is being shown Thanksgiving week through the beginning of the New Year at the Henry Buhl, Jr. Planetarium and Observatory at The Carnegie Science Center under the title, "The Christmas Star." This graphic was used to promote the show in Buhl's monthly, public newsletter, during Buhl Planetarium's 50th anniversary in 1989. More on this historic sky show, including a complete copy of the 1979 show script.

* Thur., Nov. 24 - Thanksgiving Day: Link 1 *** Link 2. (Fourth Thursday in November - U.S.A.)

* Thur., Nov. 24, 9:00 p.m. EST / Nov. 25, 2:00 UTC - Jupiter 1.9 degrees south of the Moon - view in southeastern sky before sunrise.

* Fri., Nov. 25 - Anniversary: Dr. Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. (Nov. 25)

* Fri., Nov. 25 (1835) - Industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie born in Dunfermline, Scotland; immigrated to Pittsburgh in 1848. (Nov. 25)

* Fri., Nov. 25 - "Black Friday" - Was one of the busiest days of the year (sometimes the busiest !) at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. (Day after Thanksgiving Day, U.S.A.)

* Fri., Nov. 25 - Shopping Reminder Day (Yes, a specially-designated day!). (Nov. 25 to 26)

* Fri., Nov. 25 - Christmas Mailing Deadline for U.S. Post Office Space Available Mail (SAM) Service to overseas U.S. Military destinations. (Nov. 25)

* Sat., Nov. 26 (1758) - Anniversary: Founding of Pittsburgh by British General John Forbes, who originally named the town "Pittsborough," named in honor of British Secretary of State William Pitt the Elder. (Nov. 26)

* Sat., Nov. 26 - Small Business Saturday. (Saturday after Black Friday)

* Sun., Nov. 27 (1861) - First light for 13-inch Fitz (later Fitz-Clark) Refractor Telescope (then, third largest telescope in the world !), at original Allegheny Observatory in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania (which was annexed to Pittsburgh in 1907 and is now Pittsburgh's North Side), which was located just up the hill from the site where Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science was built in 1939. (Nov. 27)
Also see history of new Allegheny Observatory building.

* Sun., Nov. 27 - First Sunday in Advent (Traditional). (First of four Sundays in Advent prior to Christmas Day)

* Sun., Nov. 27, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 252,620.9437 miles / 406,554 kilometers.

* Mon., Nov. 28 (1660) - Founding of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, possibly the oldest such society still in existence. (Nov. 28)

* Mon., Nov. 28 - Cyber Monday. (Monday after Black Friday)

* Mon., Nov. 28 - Pennsylvania: First day of Deer (Antlered and Antlerless) Hunting Season by Rifle. (Monday after Thanksgiving Day)
[Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science scheduled expanded public hours on this day (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST), as some school districts were closed this day.]

* Tue., Nov. 29 - Giving Tuesday - Day for people to donate time and/or money to needy charities, following the Thanksgiving Weekend beginning of the holiday shopping season (Tuesday after Black Friday).

* Tue., Nov. 29, 7:18 a.m. EST / 12:18 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1162.

* Tue., Nov. 29, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC - Asteroid Juno in conjunction with the Sun (Juno not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., Nov. 30 - Computer Security Day. (Nov. 30)

* Wed., Nov. 30 - St Andrew's Day. (Nov. 30)

* Wed., Nov. 30 - Last day of Hurricane Season. (Nov. 30)

* Nov. 1 to April 30 - Use of life jackets by every person on a small boat (less than 16 feet in length), during cold-weather months, is mandatory. (Nov. 1 to April 30)

* Thur., Dec. 1 - First day of Meteorological Winter. (Dec. 1)

* Thur., Dec. 1 - Beginning of Summer Season in Australia. (Dec. 1)

* Thur., Dec. 1 (1964) - Anniversary of the Tripoli Rocket Club, now known as the Tripoli Rocketry Association , was founded in Rillton, Pennsylvania near Irwin, Pennsylvania, in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. Francis G. Graham, today Professor Emeritus of Physics at Kent State University, was one of the key founders. (Dec. 1)

* Thur., Dec. 1 - World AIDS Day. (Dec. 1)

* Sat., Dec. 3 - International Day of Persons with Disabilities. (Dec. 3)

* Sat., Dec. 3, 8:00 a.m. EST / 13:00 UTC - Venus 6 degrees south of the Moon & Mercury in same area.

* Dec. 4 to 10 - National Handwashing Awareness Week. (First full week of December)

* Dec. 4 to 10 - National Influenza Vaccination Week.

* Dec. 5 to 11 - Computer Science Education Week, including Hour of Code events. (Second week of December)

* Mon., Dec. 5 - International Volunteer Day (IVD). (Dec. 5)

* Mon., Dec. 5, Evening - Krampus Night - Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure described as "half-goat, half-demon", who, during the Christmas season (particularly the evening before the Feast of Saint Nicholas), punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved with gifts. (Dec. 5, Evening)

* Tue., Dec. 6 - Feast of Saint Nicholas (Traditional: Gregorian Calendar). (Dec. 6)

* Tue., Dec. 6 (2013), 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - Anniversary of the dedication of the Southwestern Pennsylvania World War II Memorial located near other memorials, remembering veterans of the Korea and Vietnam conflicts, in the Roberto Clemente North Shore Riverfront Park, a few blocks southwest of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. (Dec. 6)

* Tue., Dec. 6, 5:00 p.m. EST / 22:00 UTC - Neptune 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: United States, Central America, eastern and southern portions of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Western Europe.

* Wed., Dec. 7, 4:03 a.m. EST / 9:03 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Wed., Dec. 7 (1941), 7:48 a.m. Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time / 17:48 UTC - 75th Anniversary of Japanese surprise attack on American Naval Fleet, leading to American entry into World War II: Pearl Harbor Day. (Dec. 7)
Just two and one-half weeks earlier, during the activities surrounding the dedication of a unique 10-inch Siderostat-Type Refractor Telescope at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, a new Buhl Planetarium gallery exhibit also opened with the-then intriguing title, "Can America Be Bombed?"

* Fri., Dec. 9 (1965), 4:44 p.m. EST / 21:44 UTC - Anniversary of "UFO" Incident in Pittsburgh suburb of Kecksburg, Pennsylvania. (Dec. 9)

* Sat., Dec. 10 - Human Rights Day. (Dec. 10)

* Sat., Dec. 10 - Annual Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony (occurs on the date of death of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who established annual awards), except awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize. (Dec. 10)

* Sat., Dec. 10, 7:00 a.m. EST / 12:00 UTC - Saturn in conjunction with the Sun (Saturn not visible, even with a telescope).

* Mon., Dec. 12 - Green Monday, described by E-Bay as the best on-line sales day in December. (Second Monday in December)

* Mon., Dec. 12 - Busiest Mailing Day of the Year. (Second Monday before Christmas Day)

* Mon., Dec. 12, 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 222,737.3389 miles / 358,461 kilometers.
Large tides predicted for ocean coast-lines, due to Full Moon phase on Tuesday evening.

* Tue., Dec. 13 - Feast of Saint Lucy. Celebrated on the longest night of the year of the Juilian Calendar, prior to Gregorian calendar reform. (Dec. 13)

* Tue., Dec. 13, 12:00 Midnight EST / 5:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.5 degree south of Moon; occultation: United States, northern portion of Mexico, eastern and southern portions of Canada, southern tip of Greenland, far-western portion of Europe, northwestern portion of Africa.

* Tue., Dec. 13, 7:00 p.m. EST / Dec. 14, 0:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Geminid Meteor Shower. (Dec. 13 to 14)

* Tue., Dec. 13, 7:05 p.m. EST / Dec. 14, 0:05 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Cold Moon or Long-Nights Moon).

* Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 - CITIZEN SCIENCE: Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. (Dec. 14 to Jan. 5)

* Wed., Dec. 14 - Beginning of two-week period, centering on the Winter Solstice: Halcyon Days of December, when it is believed the seas would be calm and winds light. (Dec. 14)

* Thur., Dec. 15 (1791) - Anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. (Dec. 15)

* Thur., Dec. 15 - U.S. Mail-by Date, Domestic Service, for Delivery by Christmas Day: Packages & Non-First Class Mail. (Dec. 15)

* Fri., Dec. 16 - Free Shipping Day by Internet merchants for delivery of Christmas gifts by Christmas Eve. (Third week in December)

* Sat., Dec. 17 - Beginning of ancient, week-long Roman festival of Saturnalia, which marked the end of the Autumn harvest and beginning of Winter planting; known for gift giving and feasting. (Dec. 17)

* Sat., Dec. 17 (1790) - Aztec Calendar Stone found. (Dec. 17)

* Sat., Dec. 17 (1903) - Wright Brothers Day, commemorating the first powered flight of a man in 1903, credited to the Wright Brothers. (Dec. 17)

* Sun., Dec. 18, 2:00 p.m. EST / 19:00 UTC - Star Regulus 1.0 degree north of the Moon; occultation: portions of Antarctica, far-southern portion of Australia.

* Mon., Dec. 19 - Feast of Saint Nicholas (Orthodox: Julian Calendar). (Dec. 19)

* Mon., Dec. 19 - Busiest package delivery day of the year. (Monday before Christmas Day)

* Tue., Dec. 20 - U.S. Mail-by Date, Domestic Service, for Delivery by Christmas Day: First Class Mail. (Dec. 20)

* Tue., Dec. 20, 8:56 p.m. EST / Dec. 21, 1:56 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Wed., Dec. 21 (1898) - The radioactive element Radium was discovered by Maria Sklodowska-Curie and her husband Pierre Curie. (Dec. 21)

* Wed., Dec. 21 - U.S. Mail-by Date, Domestic Service, for Delivery by Christmas Day: Priority Mail. (Dec. 21)

* Wed., Dec. 21 - Homeless Persons' Memorial Day - The first day of winter. The longest night of the year (Dec. 21).

* Wed., Dec. 21, 5:44 a.m. EST / 10:44 UTC - Winter Solstice: beginning of Winter season in Earth's Northern Hemisphere (~Dec. 21 to 22).
Also see: "The Stars of Winter" and "The Star of Bethlehem" Planetarium Sky Dramas (web sites include entire planetarium show scripts), performed each Winter in the Theater of the Stars of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

* Thur., Dec. 22, 4:00 a.m. EST / 9:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of the Ursid Meteor Shower. (Dec. 22)

* Thur., Dec. 22, 12:00 Noon EST / 17:00 UTC - Jupiter 2 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri., Dec. 23 (1947) - Anniversary of the unveiling of the Transistor by Bell Labs (then owned by the American Telephone and Telegraph Corporation). (Dec. 23)

* Fri., Dec. 23 - U.S. Mail-by Date, Domestic Service, for Delivery by Christmas Day: Priority Mail Express. (Dec. 23)

* Dec. 24 to Jan. 2 - Christmas Day / New Year's Day Holiday Week (approx. Christmas Day to New Year's Day, including adjacent weekends).
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science scheduled expanded public hours during this holiday week --
Monday through Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Friday - Observatory to 10:30 p.m.) EST
Sunday:12:00 Noon to 9:30 p.m. EST
EXCEPT -
Christmas Day: Closed
Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST (If Sunday, opened at 12:00 Noon)
New Year's Day: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST (If Sunday, opened at 12:00 Noon)
Thanksgiving Day (in earlier years, December 1) was the beginning of the classic, "Star of Bethlehem" planetarium sky drama at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. This traditional, holiday sky show, which provides possible, astronomical explanations for the star that guided the Three Wisemen to the Christ child, has been shown at Buhl Planetarium every Christmas season since 1939, and it is being shown Thanksgiving week through the beginning of the New Year at the Henry Buhl, Jr. Planetarium and Observatory at The Carnegie Science Center under the title, "The Christmas Star." This graphic was used to promote the show in Buhl's monthly, public newsletter, during Buhl Planetarium's 50th anniversary in 1989. More on this historic sky show, including a complete copy of the 1979 show script.

* Sat., Dec. 24 - Eve of Christmas Day (Traditional). (Dec. 24)

* Sat., Dec. 24 - Super Saturday - Last major shopping day of the Christmas shopping season; Black Friday is considered the first major shopping day. (Saturday before Christmas Day)

* Sat., Dec. 24 (1968), 4:59 a.m. EST / 9:59 UTC - Anniversary of the first manned space flight to enter orbit of another planetary body (Earth's Moon): Apollo 8 (Dec. 24).

* Dec. 24, Sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 4:58 p.m. EST / 21:58 UTC) to Jan. 1, Sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 5:04 p.m. EST / 22:04 UTC) - Hanukkah or Chanukah (Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the Festival of Lights.); date of Hanukkah based on the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunisolar calendar: Link 1 *** Link 2.

* Dec. 25 to Jan. 5 - The 12 days of Christmas. (Dec. 25)

* Sun., Dec. 25 - Christmas Day (Traditional) or Feast of the Nativity. (Dec. 25)
The classic "Star of Bethlehem" Planetarium Sky Drama performed every Christmas holiday season, 1939 through 1990, in the Theater of the Stars at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

* Sun., Dec. 25 - Winter Solstice according to ancient calendars. (Dec. 25)

* Sun., Dec. 25 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Sun., Dec. 25, 1:00 a.m. EST / 6:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 252,195.926 miles / 405,870 kilometers.

* Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 - Kwanzaa - Week-long holiday observance honoring African-American heritage. (Dec. 26)

* Mon., Dec. 26 - Christmas Day - Observed (Federal Holiday observed on Monday, as Christmas Day falls on Sunday) or Feast of the Nativity. (Dec. 26)

* Mon., Dec. 26 - Boxing Day. (Dec. 26)

* Mon., Dec. 26 - Feast of St. Stephen. (Dec. 26)

* Tue., Dec. 27 (1571) - Anniversary of the birth of German Astronomer Johannes Kepler. (Dec. 27)
Photograph of inscription of Kepler's name, just below the outer planetarium dome on Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

* Wed., Dec. 28, 2:00 p.m. EST / 19:00 UTC - Mercury in inferior conjunction (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Thur., Dec. 29, 1:53 a.m. EST / 6:53 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1163.

* Sat., Dec. 31 - Make Up Your Mind Day. (Dec. 31)

* Sat., Dec. 31 - Eve of New Year's Day (Traditional). (Dec. 31)

* Sat., Dec. 31, 6:59:60 p.m. EST / 23:59:60 UTC - Positive 'Leap Second' added to the civil time scale, to help keep clocks synchronized with the slowing rotation rate of the Earth. (Periodically: last additional second of last minute of June 30 and / or December 31)

* Sat., Dec. 31, 7:00:00 p.m. EST / Jan. 1, 00:00:00 UTC - Marks the beginning of the New Year by the Coordinated Universal Time scale, the time scale used by many scientists. (Dec. 31)

* Sun., 2017 Jan. 1, 12:00:00 Midnight (00:00:00) Prevailing Local Time - For Eastern Standard Time (EST) Zone in North America: 12:00:00 Midnight EST / 5:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) which correlates with 12:00:00 Midnight EST - New Year's Day: New Calendar Year begins. (Jan. 1)

* Mon., 2017 Jan. 2 - New Year's Day - Observed (Federal Holiday observed on Monday, as New Year's Day falls on Sunday). (Jan. 2)